Feathers: Blind
by EmissaryOfDarkness
Summary: Sequel to Feathers. Nothing can be simply explained here in the Neutral World. Like dreams, things are not always what they seem. It is a place of redemption and second chances, or to some it may be considered Hell. Slow Progress but please R & R
1. Prologue

**Feathers: Blind**

We don't know what we have until we lose it. These words ring true in most cases. Then all we have are the memories and feelings that remain for it. These things can transcend a lifetime. And if strong enough, they can reach beyond space as well. These are what open our blind minds and hearts. _These_ are what make us human.

- _Anonymous Aela Razili Rasheph_


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 - Underneath**

They say when you're young, you can't retain memories as efficiently as when you grow older. You can't remember full sequences like what people say or how things smelled, looked, or sounded. But there may be times when you get a hint or a notion of déjà vu of something you don't remember even happening, but it's locked somewhere in your subconscious.

My memories were like a child. I couldn't remember a thing about my younger life except what had been given to me now. The things I had a hard time with was wondering if I had ever been a child or if I had just been born like this and lived the life I had for all these years. Maybe I'd find my answer soon. All I knew was I had to keep moving. Had to keep searching. For someone that might give me the answers.

"Can't we take a break?" Raven moaned, dragging her feet in the dirt and making it float into the air. "I'm tired and we haven't stopped all day." If she could actually see me glaring, I would have, but I just kept heading forward, like I had all my life. Never looking back.

"A break would be nice," Honey whispered quietly behind me. I could hear the plea in her soft voice as her breaths were slightly labored from carrying Cinna, short for Cinnamon, her daughter of two years.

"No," I stated without much sympathy. "We have to keep walking."

"But our feet hurt," Raven growled. "Who said you were the leader anyway? Fuck you."

I smirked and laughed dryly at her. "Fine, if you want a break so badly, then take it. No one is stopping you, but I won't wait. It'll be your fault when they catch you and take you back to the House."

"Stop complaining, Raven, you'll get wrinkles," Bliss spat, not getting along with Raven much either. I never understood exactly why I had saved her in the first place. "Besides you owe Xeno your life." Bliss hurried next to me, setting a hand on my shoulder. I tilted my head at her and she pleaded more so for the others. "Come on, just five minutes and we'll be ready to go again." I knew Bliss could keep up with my unforgiving momentum, but she included herself for the others sake. Knowing I would allow a short break for her since, after all, she was my first friend.

I stopped and sighed exasperatedly. The others stopped and I could hear their relieved breaths as they stopped and sat on the ground to give their aching feet a rest. I folded my arms, looking straight ahead. Sure my feet hurt as well after walking forty miles non-stop. I ignored the pain though. If I didn't have the others with me I would have been running and wouldn't have stopped to sleep or even if my lungs burst. Anything was better than going back to the House. Inwardly, I growled and turned to the others to keep my mind off of it.

Raven was laying on the ground like she was sunbathing, if the sun shown here. Supposed blue eyes closed and relaxed. Her hair, I was told, was deep gold spread around her head like a halo, but she was no angel in reality. I grimaced at her outfit that she refused to get rid of. Frills of supposed "pink" feathers trimmed the neckline, wrists, and bottom of the dress she wore. Her bra and underwear clearly visible beneath the thin, transparent fabric. And she still insisted on wearing the six-inch stilettos instead of going barefoot, no wonder she always wanted breaks.

Honey sat cross-legged, holding a sleeping Cinna closely. Her supposed hazel eyes were closed, taking the briefest of naps before we continued on. Brown hair that fell to her shoulders, framed her face like a heart. Her shirt was beginning to rip and match her wearing shorts. Of all of us, she was the softest spoken and shy and her body reflected it. She would never ask for anything nor say no to anything. Her opinions were never open for fear of displeasing others. Honey was truly a follower than a leader.

Next to me, Bliss stood by on the lookout, though I was still alert for anything lurking out in the plains of the Neutral World. Darker brown hair that nearly looked black was short and spiked in the back and long in the front made her look ardent, but she was still almost as softhearted as the others. She wore a tank-top with shorts and skater shoes we had managed to find. If I hadn't known her better, she may have looked meaner than she was with piercing blue eyes.

Without a word, I turned and started walking once again. The thick soles of my combat boots leaving prints behind in the dust. They'd be covered, though, with the coming night winds that swept the plain. No one would be able to track us easily here.

"I'll take her," I heard Bliss offer to Honey. The sound of exchanging Cinna to from their arms as smoothly as possible before catching up with me.

As if on cue, Raven began to whine once more. "Come on, that was so not five minutes." Her voice was a few yards behind us and jumbled as she jogged to catch up.

"Stop complaining," Bliss snapped. "You got your break, now get walking."

"I don't understand why we have to walk to much everyday anyway," Raven grumbled. "I mean, why can't we just find somewhere and settle down?"

"Because we aren't safe here or really anywhere for that matter. Until Xeno stops, we keep walking."

"Pfft, that bitch with never stop," Raven mumbled under her breath.

I whirled and before anyone realized what I was doing, my fist joined with Raven's eye. The force sending her flying to the ground with a hard _thump_. My knuckles barely ached, but her eye was already swelling and changing color. Water leaked from them as she cried from the pain, holding her hand against it.

"If you don't like it, then go back," I growled at her. "Get caught, get raped, and beaten and whatever else suits your fancy at the House." With that, I turned and stomped away at a faster pace. Bliss and Honey avoided looking at me as I passed them, but the followed nonetheless.

"W-wait, don't leave me!" Raven cried, shuffling to her feet and running after us.

I wasn't one for violence, especially against women, but that was the only way Raven understood how to listen and not complain. For now she'd be silent and do as she was told until the black eye went away. At least it would give us a few days of peace.

"We'll stop when we get to those mountains," I said after a few hours, pointing at the jagged peaks in the distance, too far to make them walk in a day. With them it would take months, even years if this dream world shifted in any way. I wasn't sure how many times I had told them that was where we were going. Millions, probably, over the last seven years.

"There's a hollow tree," Bliss pointed out, gesturing her head toward a round fat tree that had turned black with decay and death. Out in the middle of nowhere, the tree seemed out of place, but it would have to do.

We headed for it and as we neared, Cinna began to stir. She rubbed her drowsy blue eyes and scratched her head under a thick blanket of strawberry blonde hair. "Momma, I'm hungry," she whined, and to emphasize her point, her stomach growled.

"We'll eat when we get inside, love," Honey crooned with reassurance, taking Cinna from Bliss' arms.

Everyone climbed the short five feet into a small hole in the tree. It wouldn't seem like it, but the inside was the perfect size for a fire and a place for each of us to stretch out and sleep.

I hefted the backpack from my shoulders and set it on the ground. It was full of bread, cheese, berries, and water bottles. It was enough to last a good three days, but we only took what we needed to stave off the edge of our hunger. A half slice of bread and cheese for everyone and a half cup of water. Maybe it seemed like starvation, but to us, it was a feast.

We broke a few branches off the tree out side and put them in a pile at the center. Everyone waited for me as I held my hand above the sticks and concentrated. It was hard when I had first learned, but now it hardly took a thought as purple tinted silver fire crackled to life and ate at the wood. Within a few minutes, the chill of the night was chased away by comforting warmth that filled the tree.

Honey and Cinna were the first to fall asleep, curled together contentedly. Raven never once said a word or even looked at me as she laid with her back toward the fire. Bliss started to nod off unwillingly, always trying to keep up with my unusual stamina and endurance, but her head bobbed tiredly as she tried to remain awake.

I laid on my back, the only way I felt comfortable and able to sleep. No one could tell if I was asleep or not, the black blindfold that wrapped around my eyes kept anyone from seeing my completely white eyes. No irises or pupils. They say with my matching waist-length hair, I was disturbing. Like a ghost.

"Do you really think they're still looking for us?" Raven whispered after a few minutes, thinking I had dozed off. "After seven years?"

"I wouldn't think so," Bliss whispered back, yawning. "I wasn't a favorite for my master."

"Then why do you keep following _her_? She's cruel and hardhearted. Plus, she's _blind_, I don't even think she knows where she's going."

I could feel Bliss' eyes on me, examining me. "She saved me, the least I could do is stay. But she isn't blind, the blindfold, she says, helps her see. Besides, she gives us protect, you know that." Bliss yawned once again and I heard her shuffle to lay down, ending the conversation.

Yes, I guess literally I _was_ blind, but with the blindfold around my eyes, I could see. Maybe not exactly like others, however. The things people often told me were certain colors, but all I could see were shades of black and white. Perhaps losing these "colors" was compensation for being able to see at all. This is what I told myself. This is what I believed when a man gave the blindfold to me as a gift.

He was the only good memory I had and I held it close. This man I had to find again. Because underneath all the cruelty and hardheartedness, perhaps I was the most vulnerable of us all.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 - Shades Of Gray**

_I'm running. No one else is with me, but behind me a cloud of black chases after my footsteps. I push myself faster as more adrenaline kicks in and dulls the ache in my muscles and burning lungs. The smell of the air is filled with sweet scents that make me nauseated. I can't stop. If I stop I'll die._

_Ahead of me, I see the shape of someone. Their hair truly black, not a dark shade of gray like others who have brown hair look to me, and slicked back. Their back is to me, but I can tell by the broad shoulders that it is a man. If I had any sense I would have veered to another direction. Avoid men if at all possible, this is what I've vowed, but I kept running toward him. He was dressed handsomely. My heart thumped and I gasped at the feeling. This man was the one I was looking for._

_Just as I near him, reaching out my hand to touch his back, I am grabbed from behind. My vision turns to nothing as the blindfold is ripped from my eyes. I blink worthlessly, trying to bring back some shred of vision. I struggled at the same time against the arms that held me captive._

"_I want you back," a longing voice whispered into my ear. My body tensed and I felt fear creep through me. I was frozen._

_I shook my head faintly, inwardly struggling against myself to move and fight. "No," I managed to choke out of my suddenly dry throat, tears rimmed my eyes. "No."_

"_I promise, things will change. Just come back," they whispered forlornly. If I didn't know better, I would have believed him. Against my neck I felt two sharp ends skimming my skin and my breathing hitched when they pierced through, sending streams of pain like lightning down my body. "I can make everything better."_

I gasped, sitting up. Feeling the black fabric of the blindfold slip off my eyes onto my lap. My breathing was erratic as my hands went up to my neck, feeling for any new marks on it. Instead, I touched something wet. My shaky hands grabbed the blindfold and tied it slowly around my head. My vision came back without error and I sighed with relief, slowly working on my breathing. My hands had no specks of blood on them, only sweat, and there were no healing marks. I coughed hard in my hands, feeling something hot at the back of my throat. This time, blood did cover them. I wiped my mouth and cleaned my hands the best I could as I worked to calm myself.

The others were still sleeping soundly around me. The fire had long since died out and left the hollow tree dark, except for the coming day that slowly turned it lighter and lighter shades of gray. No sun shown in this part of the land. I doubted it even existed in this world.

My mind began to calm, but I was still on alert. My first instinct every morning was to get moving, but I knew the others wouldn't be able to keep up without eating. I snapped a few more branches from outside and set them aflame. The sudden light made everyone squint and move their hands to cover their eyes before they yawned and started to wake. Within minutes everyone was up and eating.

"I want more," Cinna whined, all her food gone within thirty seconds.

Honey glanced at me with a plead in her eyes, but turned back to her daughter and offered what remained of her bread. "Here, baby, take this," she whispered softly, slight sadness in her voice.

"No," Bliss stated suddenly, her voice louder and making Honey jump slightly. She offered her own food which had only a few bites in. "Let her have mine. You need to keep your strength up, Honey. With a kid, you'll need it more and I don't eat much anyway."

Honey stared at Bliss hesitantly before taking the food from her hands and giving it to Cinna. Perhaps I was too callous, but even with women I found it hard to feel sympathy. If only they had gone through the things I had, maybe they'd understand better.

"Let's get moving," I said, standing and pulling myself out of the hollow tree. I landed on the ground and turned to catch the backpack that Bliss handed down to me. She climbed out next, helping Cinna down before Honey came out. Raven came out quicker than she normally would, still no words while I was awake.

Each one stretched their, no doubt, aching bodies. Even mine seemed to know it was time to travel once more. Over the years, however, we'd grown stronger, there was no doubt about that. Our soft bodies became hard with muscles that hadn't existed before. Our frail demeanors more confident. After longer being held captive so long, it was a victory, even if it was small. I turned and began walking without a word. The others followed suit. I liked to think I gave them strength to push themselves, that I wasn't always so harsh, but it wasn't true. I was merciless.

"You know what I imagine?" Bliss asked, a smile in her voice as she started a game that usually kept spirits up. It helped to ease the tension of my unforgiving relentlessness.

"A big puddle of water!" Cinna chimed happily.

"A field of grass," Honey stated quietly, a pleased longing in her voice. Her tones were usually how you could tell how she was feeling.

They all waited for Raven to play, but she remained silent. Walking with her arms crossed and shoulders slumped like a girl who was scared of the world. Her golden hair seemed to reflect her mood. Instead of it being full of volume, it laid flat and dispirited. Her left eye was dark around it and could barely open, but I didn't feel any guilt for it. After what we'd been through, a black eye was nothing.

"An actual bed," Bliss crooned, folding her hands together and laying her head on them like a pillow. She looked sideways at me. "What about you Xeno?"

I tilted my head toward her, but took a moment to answer. Something I wanted? Things I wished to see? "Memories," I finally replied. "Good memories." They were all silent at my answer. Usually I never played this game with them. I would wave my hand to brush it off. I don't know what compelled me to answer now, but it was true. All I wanted were memories.

"A mountain of food!" Cinna yelled, throwing her hands up in the air. Honey smiled and Bliss laughed, swooping the child up onto her shoulders. "Enough to get fat and sleep for days!"

"Sounds good to me," Bliss commented, twirling in circles and making Cinna scream with laughter.

I listened to their happy sounds before spotting something dark in the distance. I stopped and immediately the others halted and grew silent. They all watched me anxiously, bodies tense and making the once free air feel hard. The black came closer and looked like smoke. Fear gripped my spine and my stomach tightened as the smoky shape of a large cat-like figure came charging at us. It was miles away, but would be upon us in minutes. I glanced back at the hollow tree at least a mile away, the bark of it was harder than diamonds and would provide good protection from the large demon.

"Run!" I yelled. "Back to the tree!" Without question, everyone took off at full speed. Cinna began to scream and cry. By the time we got back, the demon was only a few hundred yards away. "Get in." I entwined my fingers and Honey stepped into my hands as I hoisted her up easily. Bliss handed her Cinna before helping me get Raven inside. "Hurry," I rushed, seeing the demon nearly upon us. Bliss stepped on my hands and the others pulled her in.

Just as she disappeared into the hole I was knocked sideways and a piercing roar shattered through the air. I gasped for the air that had been taken from my lungs. I stumbled to my feet, hearing the others screaming at me to get up. I reached behind my head, pulling the knot of my blindfold loose. As it slipped from my eyes, my vision slipped to nothing once more, but I felt the fabric suddenly harden into something metal. The girls had said I turned it into a rod with a large metal hook at the end. A scythe. Without knowing where I was going, the scythe seemed to pull me itself. I swung and heard the demon scream in agony as I cut through it.

It growled. "Julius said to bring you back alive, but I may just kill you for that."

At the sound of his name, I froze instantly. My hands tightened on the scythe until it turned to fabric once more. My breathing hitched and my mind hazed. Years of freedom could not completely override the trained instinct of years in slavery. In my hesitance, the demon knocked me to the ground once again.

"Look out!" Bliss screamed.

I heard the air as a giant paw began to swipe down at me. I braced myself, but instead of feeling pain, I felt someone grab me and something wrapping around us as we rolled across the ground. "Don't worry, I got you." I tensed further at the male voice. Then I heard a piercing howl that made my heart ache before malicious growls and snarls mixed with loud thuds and screeches. Something was fighting with the demon and I couldn't see. After only a few seconds, the demon shrieked and the sound was immediately cut off by a loud crack.

"Holy flaming butterflies!" Whoever was holding me, loosened up and let go quickly, their footsteps backing off. I jumped to my feet, tying the blindfold back around my eyes and taking in a breathtaking sight.

A man stood in front of them, staring at me with wide eyes full of shock. From the light shade of gray of his hair I could tell he was blond, but his eyes were a color I didn't recognize, because they actually _were_ in color. He wore a white shirt and normal jeans, but something like a white centipede extended from his stomach and curled around his shoulders. However, it wasn't only these things that made me stare.

Nothing was left of the demon but smoldering black fire. Pacing around it to ensure it was dead was a larger black animal that looked like a wolf with thirteen long tails and another that was white that looked like a fox with seven tails of its own. My eyes fixated on the designs that marked their heads. Intricate, delicate, metallic. What shocked me most was that they too weren't gray. I knew instantly they were colored, but I still didn't know what colors they were. The design on the black wolf looked warm, and on the fox, cold. Even their eyes were colored.

Their ears pricked at me and they stopped immediately in their tracks. I could barely register what happened as snapping sounds resounded and in a blink the two animals became human. Both men that looked like brothers. Both had black hair that was looked messy. The one that had been the wolf was slightly taller than the other and looked a little older as well. Both wore long black trench coats and matching black clothes that seemed remarkably new. Their eyes fixated on me with shock and awe.

The fox boy stepped forward hesitantly. "Anonymous?"


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 - Myriad Of Difference**

I hesitated, standing completely still at the boy's voice. My mind pounded and pulsed at the strange recognition of it, but I knew I'd never met him before. He was too young, too inexperienced, too naïve to know anything about the House. Even the blond one seemed too bewildered to keep any rational thought. The other man, however, looked much like the demons that ruled this world and kept me on edge. Still, something told me to stay where I was underneath everything that screamed for me to run as far away from them as possible.

_Men_, I kept tell myself, urging my feet to move. _They're men_. But I stood fast, like I was glued to the ground.

"Anonymous is that you?" the boy asked again, his face clearly confused and mixed with a profound disbelief, yet hopeful. The color of his eyes held me in their gaze, caught like an animal, but free as a bird. He stepped forward, reaching an uncertain hand out. My body instinctively leaned back though he was still a few yards away, but my feet refused to obey panicked thoughts.

"Get away from her!" I heard Bliss yell. Suddenly she was in front of me, holding a set of shining silver daggers protectively. One held normally in her left hand, the other reversed in her right. The boy stopped in his tracks, still looking dazed. "Don't come near us, I'm warning you," she growled, though her words were fierce her shaking grip on the knives gave away her insecurity. She'd never had to fight, I was always the one protecting them.

"Anonymous, it's me, Zan," the boy tried again, his voice smooth and perfectly deep. He was persistent, I'd give him that. Something inside my head ached faintly, like that nagging feeling you get when you forget something important.

Bliss glanced back at me before glaring at them. "Whoever you're looking for isn't here."

Zan didn't seem to hear her, instead, he turned to the other man that looked like his brother. "Doesn't she look like her, Zenith?"

The man was silent, his unwavering red eyes never left me and my heart skipped a beat. "Like a mirror image," Zenith commented, his silky low voice made my skin tingle as if it were wrapping around me like a blanket.

"Even her soul," the blond resounded and a sudden smile spreading across his face. "Kai doesn't see a difference either." He pointed at the large insect that's beady blue eyes with no pupils watched me interestedly from his perch around his shoulders. His large jaws clicked a few times and I wondered how much damage they could do to one's body.

Honey, Cinna, and Raven joined us quickly and using her and I as bodyguards against the demons. Cinna cried softly against Honey's shoulder. Bliss growled more protectively then. "Look, whoever this Anonymous is, she isn't her." Indicating me as she slid one dagger back into the backpack I hadn't even noticed I'd dropped. "Now if you don't want to get hurt, we'll go." Still noting I was still too stunned to move, Bliss grabbed my wrist and began to pull me away, the others followed quickly. The men were left still as stunned as I was.

Something inside of me whispered incomprehensible words, but it was like they were screaming. My nerves jumped with an anxiety I hadn't experienced before and suddenly I panicked. "Wait!" I said hurriedly, pulling against Bliss's hand. At my sudden exclamation everyone was startled. Mostly the girls as I pulled away from their huddled group and stumbled toward the men without thinking.

"Xeno, what are you doing?" Bliss shouted in earnest, sounding fearful.

"What…" I hesitated, my breathing suddenly quick without reason. "What color are your eyes?" Somehow nothing seemed more important than that question. Not that they were demons nor that they were men. It was like every fiber of my being depended on knowing what the colors were that sparkled in my eyes.

Zan seemed slightly taken aback. No doubt wondering why someone with a blindfold over their eyes would ask that kind of thing. But something in his darker colored eyes sparked at least from some kind response from me finally. "Blue," he responded. "The same as Luido's." The blond, I guessed. Then as if to keep my attention further, he gestured to Zenith. "And his are red."

I nodded, my answers gained and suddenly my whispered ideals disappeared and my original thoughts came flooding back in screams. _Men_, I snarled, turning away from them, ushering the girls forward and they went without question.

"Wait!" Zan called out, but I didn't stop. "Hang on!" The sound of rushing feet came closer behind us.

In a flash, I loosened my blindfold and held it out blindly. The blade of the scythe curved sinisterly around his neck. My quick motion caused Cinna to scream and cry harder. I could feel the air of the others become tense with fear and uncertainty.

"We won't hurt you," he whispered.

They sounded sincere, truthful, but my precautious side won over the whispers this time. "I've heard those words before," I snarled.

I felt him move, but it wasn't to get closer or get away. Rather, his head bowed, giving more room for my scythe. Zan didn't say a word, rather, his actions spoke for him. A demon allowing me free reign over his life, a sign of truth or lies would strike him dead. How could he be like the others? Hadn't the three of them saved her from one of their own kind? Yet they made no actions to capture her afterward and made no demands of them.

I couldn't kill him, something felt horribly wrong about the idea and made me want to vomit. My heart ached sorely for the truth of his actions and I lifted the scythe away from him, it fell lightly as it shifted back to cloth. "What do you want from us?" I asked, tying it back around my eyes.

Zan's own deep _blue_ eyes opened as he lifted his head. "Nothing." One word, plain and simple.

"You must want something. Why did you call me that before? Anonymous?"

Somehow the air suddenly shifted from being tense and uncomfortable to carefree when the blond, Luido, jumped and wrapped his arm around Zan's shoulders with the brightest smile I'd ever seen on anyone aside from Cinna. The look on Zan's face was one of annoyance, but with a tolerance as if for a sibling.

"Because you look just like his sister," he commented happily, then he looked slightly perplexed. "Though your hair isn't black and blue and your eyes are white. Why do you wear a blindfold? Can you see?" He spoke so quickly I had a hard time keeping up with everything he said. The pure energy that he emitted hit me like a crashing wave. Not even Cinna had that much.

I grimaced at them both. "Well I'm not her. So if you don't mind, we'll be on our way." I turned once more and the girls took hurried steps ahead of me as I followed after them.

"Not even a thank you for saving your life, Fearless?"

I stopped in my tracks, something hit my mind like a bullet at the word, but sped by to fast to grasp a hold of it. I glanced behind me to see a smirk playing on Zenith's mouth, the first emotional response I'd seen from him. I wanted to smack it off his face though. My heart thudded against my rib cage and felt like I had lost something dear as I looked at his face, his blood red eyes, but I convinced myself it was just the adrenaline.

"I didn't need saving, or your help. I can take care of myself," I spat angrily at him.

The smirk didn't leave his face, rather, he sauntered toward me, but passed me by with our eyes still locked. I noticed the girls hadn't stopped this time and my body tensed at Zenith being so close. "That you can. Though, I'd rather hear a proper thanks before we leave."

"Fuck you," I said, taking off after the others.

Behind me, Luido gasped. "The language!"

Suddenly, just as I reached them, the boys were with us as well in the blink of an eye. I hadn't even heard them follow me.

"What are you doing?" I growled, nearly yelling at them as the girls stopped suddenly and crowded around me in fear of them.

"Xeno, was it?" Zenith mused. "Obviously, we were also heading the same way. Why not travel together?"

I glared at him, though he couldn't see it. "No." I ushered the girls forward and we all took off, leaving a few hundred yards between us and the demons. I glanced behind me to see Luido jumping around them like bouncy ball with too much excitement to exist in this world as they kept following us.

"Why didn't you kill them?" Bliss hissed at me. Her eyes kept glancing behind us at them warily. "They're demons and they're men. You're breaking the rules.

_The rules_, I thought. Trust no demon and trust no man. Kill them on sight, don't allow even one to live.

I shook my head. "I don't know." I glanced at them. "They're…different."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 - Unpleasant Games**

"Would you stop following us?" I yelled back at the demons who still followed us. They weren't bothersome, but still they unnerved us all a bit. Of course after the past few hours, the silence of the girls had disappeared as they became comfortable despite the men's presence. Their games and antics were alight again as they laughed and ran in circles in a game of tag.

"Nope," Zenith called out, I could just hear the same smirk that was most likely still plastered on his face. Somehow I liked him better when he was silent. I growled and sped up my pace.

Cinna ran around in front of me for protection from Bliss who had been deemed "it". When I walked around her, destroying her defensive wall, she took off. It took only a second before Honey gasped and Bliss yelled, "Get back here!"

I whirled to see Cinna running toward the three demons still laughing with pleasure. The women were frozen in their tracks as she bounded toward them. Somehow it seemed like a dream, or like they had known each other her whole life as Luido scooped her up without any hesitation and threw her in the air before catching her laughing little body. The insect, Kai, gone from sight.

Honey, encouraged more by motherly instinct, ran toward them and we followed. The look on her face was frantic as she slowed and reached her arms out pleadingly. "Please don't hurt her," her soft voice begged.

I couldn't be of much help, once a human was in a demon's hands they were never likely to leave unharmed. My attacking them wouldn't have helped in Cinna's case, though the girl seemed undisturbed at the consequences of her actions. Of course she wouldn't know exactly what was wrong, she was only a child, but she needed to learn in my eyes.

Luido looked at her and his eyes softened considerably, his smile fading. "I won't hurt her."

"T-take me instead," Honey bargained, her hands visibly shaking with fear.

"No, give Cinna back and take me," Bliss volunteered, stepping in front of Honey protectively.

Luido looked stunned at her, his eyes clearly confused as he held a suddenly calm Cinna, who watched her mother curiously. "Take you for what?" he asked innocently.

I stepped forward skeptically, yet cautiously. "What kind of game are you playing?"

"We're playing a game?" Luido's eyes lightened up and he smiled. "What kind?"

At that, Zenith smacked the back of his head. "You'll have to forgive Luido, he doesn't catch on very well," he apologized. His eyes set a fire running up my spine when they locked with mine. They held a fierceness in them, yet they were kind, gentle. Slowly, he took Cinna from Luido's arms and set her on the ground softly. She ran to Honey, who wrapped her up anxiously and began to cry into her hair.

"What's wrong, Momma?" Cinna asked, pulling back slightly and touching her mother's face. Honey didn't reply, she just kept hugging her child to her. Behind her, Bliss rubbed her back comfortingly.

"What kind of demons are you?" I asked, eyeing each man critically.

Before Luido, whose eyes glittered, could speak, Zenith smacked a hand over his mouth. "Obviously, not the kind you're used to," he answered. "It seems this world breeds a different kind than our world."

"Your world?"

Suddenly a persistent beeping sounded and everyone went silent. I moved quickly over to Bliss, looking at the time on the small watch hooked on the zipper.

"Don't move," I ordered to everyone. "Stay quiet." Apprehension filled the girls, but the men looked at me puzzled.

Then, right on cue, the bleary gray world began to shift. The desert landscape rippled like water coming toward us. Several large mounds moved like snakes beneath the sand. A sound like a whale rumbled through the air as one got closer. The wave moved beneath us, lifting us up into the air as sand shifted from the vibrations. We all tried to balance ourselves against the hard rumbling beneath our feet, but Raven fell forward, catching herself on one hand against the ground.

My eyes widened and suddenly we were all falling. Cinna screamed as we were sucked into pitch blackness before all sounds were caught off. For a moment, it seemed like I couldn't even hear myself think, then I hit the hard ground. Air escaping from my lungs at the force. My body ached as I tried to sit up. I shook my head, trying to regain myself before looking around to see only darkness.

There was scuffling and moaning followed by the sound of flapping wings to my right and I stood quickly. Extending my hand and willing purple silver fire to burst in a small ball above my palm. It considerably brightened a few yards in radius for me to understand we were underground in a cave. No one was with me and tunnels circled everywhere around me. Adrenaline filled my veins and seemed to make the flame in my hand grow brighter. Echoes of movement and water droplets had me on edge.

"Anyone alive?" I called out, hoping the others were somewhere close by. In all the changes that we'd come to know this world to have, being here was a first.

The sound of a moan echoed from one of the massive tunnels, but I couldn't guess which. I heard more scuffling and made my best estimate of where it was coming from and began to walk down an eerie tunnel, my steps echoing down it and seeming to mirror the pain that spread across my back. The stone was cold and made the air even more so, but the fire kept me comfortable as long as I didn't let it go out. Hopefully the others would be able to survive the frigid temperature before I could find them.

There were shrieks and I stopped in my steps, staring straight ahead. Barking and growling roared through the spacious cave so loud I had to cover my ears. Then added with the sound I saw flames of red, the actual color red once more, bursting around in small flashes. Whatever had screamed before now squeaked in pain. Red glowing eyes turned to me as my feet carried me unconsciously forward to see five large bat-like creatures bleeding and dead against the ground. I stopped a few yards away from the large menacing black wolf, mesmerized by the metallic design on his head. One shoulder was wet with blood, but he gave no sign showing any pain as he stared at me.

"Zenith?"

The wolf's large ears pricked toward be for a brief second before laying flat against his head. Lips curled back to bare sharp, long white teeth, before a threatening growl escaped between them and he barked at me. I flinched, but became frozen immediately on instinct. Again, he barked as if to warn me and I heard a sloshing sound close behind me.

Slowly, I turned. The silver of my flame lighting up a bulky creature that looked like an overgrown slug with teeth circling all around its gaping mouth. It was slightly taller than me, but not as large as Zenith. Mucus made its rubbery looking skin shine under the light. There were no eyes on the hideous thing, but somehow I could feel it looking at me. Its mouth widened and it lifted up, poised to swallow me whole. I turned and took off toward Zenith, but fell hard against the ground when something wet and slimy wrapped around my leg and began to drag me back, causing the fire in my had to sputter out.

All I could do then was listen as fear gripped me and froze me like a statue, even against a sudden searing pain that stung my leg, waiting to be devoured. Waiting to die. Waiting for no memories. "Please."

Suddenly, a long stream of red flames lit up the cave. The slug squealed and I glanced back to see the mucus on it seemed to deflect the fire, as it still reeled me in. Zenith ran toward me, long claws digging into the stone for speed. He jumped over me, snapping his teeth against the tongue-like appendage around my leg, making the creature cry out again. Another lashed out at him, but fire burst from his mouth just the same. The stream of red caught onto the tongue and burned up it like a rope into the creatures mouth and into its body. Its skin began to bubbled and boil before it suddenly exploded into pieces backward. Gelatinous insides spread everywhere behind it.

I winced as I sat up and unwrapped what remained of the tongue. It had ripped my pant leg to shreds, tiny spikes covered it and stuck into my skin. It looked like my leg had been burned to the second degree and I cried out as I pulled the end of it off, longer spikes had embedded into it and stung far worse. The feeling in it began to numb and my eyes widened at the thought I wouldn't be able to walk.

Zenith came up to me, still in wolf form, and whined sadly. I froze as he neared and winced slightly when a soft tongue lapped out against my wound. I was about to undo my blindfold and lash out at him before I felt feeling come back slightly to my skin and saw the burn had completely healed in the trail of his tongue. Then with more confidence he soothed the rest of the wound tenderly, leaving my leg completely healed and smooth. I stared at it, no more burn, but no more scars either.

Then, like a shot, all the adrenaline left me and I felt exhausted. With no more energy, my eyes began to droop and my body felt heavy. Everything blurred with the threat of oncoming sleep. My heartbeat ached against my chest as I glanced up to see Zenith changing back to human, his bones snapping back into place. There was something about him. The way his eyes looked at me. The way his arms wrapped around me protectively and gentle hands touched my face with more honesty than I had ever known. I closed my tired eyes against the warmth of his chest.

"Don't worry, I'll defend you with my life."

Somehow, I could have sworn I had heard those words before.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 - No Reason For Reason**

I awoke to a soft thudding movement. My body ached slightly, but I was warm enough that the pain was dulled. The smell was musky and sweet, mixing with the chill of the air. My face was set against something softer than anything I'd ever felt. My hands wandered to see what my still closed eyes couldn't. Beneath the soft was a hardness that was so warm it spread a warmer heat through me. It moved slowly beneath my palms as I moved my hand to stroke it. A pleasured rumbling vibrated beneath my whole body and I opened my eyes slowly.

It took me a moment to grasp things, but I was on my stomach. Then I realized I was laying on the back of Zenith in his wolf form. It was dark, so I couldn't see correctly, but I knew it was him. My head nestled perfectly comfortable between his altering shoulder blades as he walked smoothly. Something was wrapped around my back and I lifted my hand to feel something like a rope covered in fur keeping me warm and holding me on and I realized it was one of his tails. The blood that had soaked his fur was dry and prickly, but there was no sign of a wound. Of course, he would have healed quickly, he was a demon.

As the sleep began to wear off, so did the illusion everything was okay. My eyes widened and pushed up against Zenith's back with enough force he stopped and turned his head to look at me. "Put me down," I growled at him, squirming against his wrapped tail until he unfurled it and I slid off. As my feet hit the ground I realized my pain hadn't completely faded. My head whirled and I leaned back involuntarily against him so I wouldn't fall. Regaining myself, I stepped away and lit fire in my hands to see anything other than his glowing eyes and face design.

I felt pain sear up my back and froze until it subsided. It seemed every part of my body ached except my leg. I examined it once more with an odd fascination. My flesh was still smooth and unscarred like it was before. I had the stupid thought that it no longer matched the other with all the cut marks healed along with the burn. Even my combat boot was torn to shreds, coming just above my ankle rather than my knees now. I sighed and began to cough, which didn't help with my pounding head. My lungs felt like they were burning as I kept hacking into my free hand. When it finally quit, the palm was covered in a thin layer of blood.

"Are you okay?" I quickly wiped my hand against my pants, the blood hidden against the black fabric, and turned to see Zenith standing tall in his human form. I hadn't even heard him shift back. His voice was quiet enough not to echo and perhaps attract unwanted creatures.

"I'm fine," I growled hoarsely at him. "Where are we?"

He shrugged indifferently, like he had no care in the world that we were lost underground in a labyrinth of twisting tunnels. "You tell me. I've just been wandering around looking for the others."

At that, I scoffed and began to walk, unsteady at first but I regained my footing quickly. You couldn't let anything stop you in this world, if you stopped you died. "They're dead," I told him.

I could just feel the shock in the air as he stared at me. "You won't even look for them? Aren't they your friends?"

I glanced back at him, but kept walking. He caught up to me quickly and silently with a few long strides. "They aren't my friends," I stated emotionlessly. "They're baggage. And if the creatures down here are as vicious as we faced, being separated, they don't have a chance anyway."

The way Zenith stared at me was unnerving. His red eyes glinted with a disappointment I didn't want to see there, but I stood by my words. Cruel. Heartless. That's what I was made into, but he scoffed just the same as I did and chuckled.

"Yeah, well, I think they're stronger than you give them credit for."

I rolled my eyes, but he couldn't see. "Shouldn't you be more concerned about your brother and friend?"

He glanced at me and I could feel him smile. "Brother?" Zenith chuckled, but waved it off. "Zan and Luido can take care of themselves. The monsters down here are different and big, but they're no threat to any of us."

"Being demons, you mean," I added for him and paused for a minute thinking. "Before you said the demons were different that in your world. How did you get here?"

"My brother ripped open the fabric of space to this world. After he died, we came here looking for a new life before the scar healed."

At that, I laughed humorlessly. I couldn't bring myself to disbelieve the words he said, nothing in this world made sense so it was hard to believe and not to believe anything. "A new life? You've come the wrong place for that. This place is Hell."

"You don't seem surprised."

I shook my head. "This world is said to be the place where time is created and circulates, stuck between space and a place for second chances. Some are born here, like the other women, others are sealed here from their worlds. Though I've never seen anyone come here on their own free will, especially demons. Probably why you act so…unusual. How long have you been here?"

Zenith tilted his head curiously at me, but answered. "Seven years, I think. Were you born here then?"

Again I shook my head. "I don't know. I don't remember, but the first thing I can remember about my life was twenty years ago. If I were sealed, there would be a mark of the seal on the back of my neck, but I don't have one."

"And that fire in your hand," he said, nodding at the silver flickers. "You aren't human, but you don't smell like a demon either."

I stared at the flames for a moment. "I'm nothing," I replied.

"That's not true." I glanced at him. "You've got to be here for a reason."

I scoffed, but his words made my body hum unexpectedly. "There are no coincidences in this world. No reason for anything. That's why this place shifts and changes the way it does. Nothing makes sense."

"Is that why you can see through that blindfold of yours?"

I nodded.

"What about those scars on your neck?"

It was then that I realized how comfortable I had gotten being around him. My defenses had dropped without me realizing. Until he asked that, I was content. Now I tensed up and guards were on high as I glared at him beneath my blindfold. I didn't say anything, instead I distanced the width of the tunnel from him and sped up my pace.

"Sorry," his voice echoed behind me.

We kept quiet for a long while. Walking in silence and waiting for anything besides our voices to break it. Only the quiet sound of our footsteps could be heard.

My head pounded and my body began to ache, feet feeling like lead. The heat of the fire not near as soothing as Zenith's body heat. My leg was cold with no fabric or leather to shield the skin. The distraction of conversation had kept everything at bay, but I couldn't answer his question. It was a good thing those were the only marks he saw. What would he think if he saw the others? I shook my head, it didn't matter what he thought._ A man_, I reminded myself. _A demon_. Give them something about yourself and they'll take control of you. Zenith would be no different.

Suddenly Zenith's hand was on my shoulder, the heat of that simple touch seared through me and made me shiver, jerking away instinctively. "What are you-" I tried to growl at him, but his hand covered my mouth.

"Do you hear that?" he whispered, barely audibly, removing his hand and standing straight, tilting his head to the side.

I stood as still as I could, like any movement would drown all other sounds out. I closed my eyes and concentrated. There was nothing but our breathing and drops of unseen water. However, as we stood there I started to hear again the flapping of wings somewhere in the cave and a hissing sound somewhere else. But then I heard something that sound like a scream. It wasn't human, it was short, but loud, animalistic. A call.

Zenith's mouth cracked into a smirk then and looked at me. "Sounds like Zan."

I raised a critical eyebrow at him. "He sounds like a lunatic."

At that Zenith laughed. "He sounds like a fox."

I breathed out as a flash of pain hit me and leaned against the tunnel wall. "You shouldn't walk anymore. You still need rest," Zenith stated, wrapping a supporting arm around me. Immediately his warmth relieved some of the ache. "Some of that slug's venom is still in you."

"And what do you suggest, doc?" I asked skeptically, my breathing a little faster now. I could feel my forehead begin to bead with sweat. The horrible thing was I wasn't tired despite feeling like I did. Zenith didn't say anything, he just stepped back and the cold set into my skin again. "What are you doing?" I hadn't meant to sound so desperate, but his warmth was intoxicating and had me sounding like an idiot.

"I can hear better in this form. We'll travel quicker and you can get some rest," he stated matter-of-factly. Then suddenly his bones crunched and snapped. I watched as black fur began to grow from his skin. His jaw lengthened in a long snout and his ears grew large and pointed as he fell onto all fours as a wolf. I was still hypnotized by the beautiful mark on his head. I didn't think I'd ever get used to real color. He came toward me slowly, turning his head to push me onto his back. The moment I touched his soft, heavenly fur mixed with the appealing heat I couldn't resist. Zenith's back was a little taller than I was and he kneeled down so I could pull myself up easier, putting out the fire in my hand so I could hoist myself up better. This time I stayed upright, one hand grabbing a fistful of hair while fire hiccupped back into the palm of my other. Once again a tail wrapped around me like a blanket and I huddled to soak in the warmth of it.

Zenith made sure I was secure before he looked straight ahead. Ears flicking back and forth, listening for the scream of a fox. I listened too and but he seemed to hear it before I could when his ears cocked backward and he turned his head to look behind us. Tightening his tail slightly, he turned around and let loose a howl that could have shattered the world. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 - Hypocritical Secrets**

We ran for what seemed like hours in the labyrinth. The fire in my hand had long burned out, leaving us to travel in the dark. I didn't have the stamina to keep it lit, since I had never had to supply my own energy for it. Now I was tired and on the verge of a tempting sleep wrapped in Zenith's warmth, but the only thing that kept me awake was his howling. Some might have thought it loud and obnoxious, but it was somehow like a melody in my ears. I couldn't understand why, but I liked it. At times, too, I would hear Zan's short barking screams.

During the pauses in between howls, I couldn't help but find myself taking comfort in the relaxing movement of heated muscles beneath me. The sound of the pads of his paws as they trotted smoothly across the cold stone floor. My head bobbed with threatening sleep to these strange pleasures, but I didn't allow it. I tried to convince myself it was the venom and it was making me delusional. Once I was better, I was getting as far away from these demons as possible. Nothing good could come from being with them too long.

Zenith stopped suddenly, I could hear his large ears flicking back and forth. Something in the air caused the lure of sleep to immediately disappear and I was on alert, but still too tired to conjure up a flame to see my surroundings. Zenith seemed to sense my alarm and his body lowered. Not enough to signal me to get off, nor did his tail loosen, but it was like he was trying to sneak up on something, or sneak _past_ something as he crawled slowly forward. Instinctively, I lowered myself to lay against his back. Soft hair tickled my face as I tried not to breathe staring straight into the blackness.

Then without warning, bloody fire burst on the tips of each of his tails like torches. My eyes widened as the flames lit up the cave, only to reveal something that looked like a white snake with no eyes that I could see. Its body blocked an entire tunnel to our right, and its head that lay on the ground in the tunnel we were traveling in and was nearly three times the size of Zenith. My heart pounded as I stared at it. The snake hadn't seemed to take notice of us as it laid there, muted hisses escaping it like it was asleep. A large hood like a cobra extended slightly each time it took in a breath.

Ahead of us, a much louder scream echoed, signaling our closeness to Zan, but the snakes head blocked our way. Zenith paced back and forth, not howling in case it woke to beast up. Though it didn't seem to matter as Zan's barking had done it first. The snake rumbled at an eye the size of Zenith opened up. Emerald green blended into gold around a long slit pupil that stared at us.

Slowly, Zenith backed up cautiously, his muscles tense and ready to run or fight as the snake turned its massive head slightly toward us. The head sloped down toward the nose and an indent like a slide or shovel lined the middle of it. A long forked tongue flicked out to inspect us better. It slid up Zenith's head and moved up to my face. The ends of it slid up each side of my face, leaving cool saliva in their wake before stopping over my eyes. Then, as if we weren't as interesting as it had thought, the snake's tongue retreated and it turned to look forward again. Then without a second thought, it plunged forward into the solid rock wall, sliding easily forward through it like water. The ground shook beneath us like an earthquake as its long body disappeared into the earth until all that was left behind was a newly carved tunnel.

Zenith and I stared after it in awe, before another call echoed closer bringing us out of our daze. Finally Zenith let loose another howl and continued to run down the tunnel. It wasn't long before a blue light highlighted the walls in the distance. Zenith ran faster and barked excitedly. Around the tunnel's bend, we nearly crashed into a large white fox. Zan chirped happily. His tail's were lit like Zenith's but with blue fire instead. It was a mesmerizing color to me, both were, since I could actually _see_ them. I would never get used to it. One his back, one tail was wrapped around a figure, like Zenith's was me.

Immediately I struggled against him until he loosened up and I jumped off. The change in temperature made goose bumps rise on my arms, but I ignored the sudden chill and ran toward the figure as quickly as I could. I faintly noticed that while Zenith was hot, Zan was actually rather cold though it was somehow as comforting as the warmth. I looked up to see Honey's head leaning against Zan's tail like a pillow, sleeping more soundly than I'd ever seen her. A break in the winding of his tail revealed Cinna, sleeping as well.

I reached up at nudged Honey enough that she stirred. Her sleepy eyes opened at went wide as soon as she saw me. Skillfully, she made it out of Zan's coils without disturbing Cinna and jumped down with more energy I'd ever seen of her. Honey's arms wrapped around me thankfully.

"I'm so glad to see you," she whispered, her voice still soft and unsure which countered the way she looked and acted.

"Where's Bliss? Have you seen her?" I asked immediately.

Honey stepped back, the brightness in her face slowly dimming as she frowned. "No, Cinna and I were alone when we woke up. Then these bats were chasing us and we ran into Zan." She glanced back at the fox, who was laying down with Cinna cradled against his side, his eyes closed as if he were sleeping as well. Honey caught me staring and touched my arm hesitantly. "He saved us," she whispered as quietly as she could so her voice wouldn't echo, though I sensed it didn't matter, since they could hear us anyway. "I don't think these demons will hurt us."

"Don't be modest, Xeno." We turned to look at a smirking Zenith, who was rubbing his neck. His red eyes stared at me, holding the same smile that his lips had before glancing at Honey. He walked up to her and she cowered slightly, stepping behind me. With a friendly smile, he held out his hand. "I'm Zenith, by the way. Figure we never got properly introduced."

Honey stared at him unsurely, but slowly placed her hand in his. "Honey," she replied barely audibly.

"And Cinna is your daughter," he stated matter-of-factly and she nodded cautiously. Then Zenith smirked and glanced at me before leaning in to whisper not very quietly into her ear, "I saved Fearless, here, too. So don't let her anger get to you. She's a hypocrite."

I glared at him and crossed my arms. "I told you, I don't need your help."

Zenith sighed with sarcastic exasperation, leaning against Zan's head. Zan's eyes opened then and looked up at him with slight annoyance. "Sounds just like her," he said down at him. Zan rumbled a snort. "Seen Luido lately?" This time Zan lifted up his head and shook it like he was drying off. "No, huh? Well, that kid might be in paradise down here."

"Why?" Honey asked before I think she even realized. My theory proven when her hands slapped over her mouth in shock.

"He's a bug," Zenith explained. "A Scarapendra, or at least, Kai is. And bug's like dark places. They just might be having the time of their lives." Then Zenith shrugged indifferently. "Or he got eaten or squished." The way he said it was like he was stating what day it was.

"I heard that!" a voice echoed above us.

We all looked up to see a tunnel directly above us. Zan's fire lit up a smiling face and bright flashing eyes that were a few hundred yards up. Luido threw a bag down the tunnel, landing with a _thud_ in Zenith's arms, who glared slightly at him. Luido waved cheerfully before turning around and disappearing. The next thing we could hear was someone arguing.

"No, don't you dare. Stop it! AH!"

Suddenly Luido was in midair and falling with a screaming Raven tucked under his arm like a bag, kicking and yelling bloody murder. He landed softly, like falling a few hundred feet high was nothing, and set her down. She growled and smacked his arm, her heels clicking against the hard floor.

"Damn it, don't ever do something like that to me again," she roared so loud I could see all three demons wince. A little of the spark of Luido's energy diverted into actual misery, which I thought might've been nonexistent for someone like him.

"Shut up, Raven," a muffled voice rumbled at her. My eyes widened as I focused on a figure draped across Luido's back.

"Bliss," I gasped, running toward him as quickly as I could.

Luido set her down carefully and I kneeled next to her, hugging her closely for a good minute before pulling back and examining her. Bliss's face was slightly bruised on the left side. Her hair was a mess, the spikes in the back all deflated and flat. A cut lined her eyebrow and a few scrapes made her arms red, but there was nothing seriously wrong with her. I sighed with relief.

"Took you long enough," I said.

She looked up at me and smiled idiotically. "Good to see you too, oh fearless leader." I rolled my eyes, but rubbed her arms gently to rid her of oncoming cold.

"Here, take this." I looked up to see Zenith offering his cloak, I just feel the heat of him soaked into the fabric. I took it without a word and adjusted Bliss to put it on her. The warmth made her shiver and an angry feeling swirled in my gut at the site of her wearing Zenith's coat.

I shook my head with surprise and mentally slapped myself before I felt Zenith lean down. My heart hit my chest like it was trying to escape as his breath caressed my ear.

"You care more than you let on," he whispered so only I could hear. "But don't worry, I'll keep your secret safe."


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 - Hot And Cold, The Game We Play**

The temperature was a contradiction of sorts. The cold was tempting as it tried to lull me to sleep, yet it was like an icicle that kept jabbing me awake. My legs and arms were freezing and I envied the cloak that Bliss wore as she laid back against Zan, still in his demonic form. Honey was wrapped by one of Zan's tails and Raven was already hotheaded from the get go, so I doubted she even felt the chill. All of them slept peacefully while I tried to feign indifference to the freezing temperatures and act like I wasn't tired, huddled on my own against the curve of the opposite wall.

The shock of Zenith's earlier words made me keep my distance, even from the girls. He was wrong. I didn't care. Who would? Having to take care of weaklings all the time when I should have just went solo would save me the time and hassle.

Another reason I couldn't sleep was because I couldn't allow my guard to fall. The others fell so quickly into these demon's spell it was like they no longer saw the danger that they posed. Demons were full of tricks and would do anything to get the best of you. So even though my body ached from bruises and cold, I kept alert to every movement they made.

Luido was trying to hold in everything that made him so energetic to allow the women to sleep, but I could tell it was a chore. His face looked anxious, like someone in a psych ward about to go ballistic. Even his body was shivering from the concentrated vigor. The strange insect inside him, Kai, would slide out of his stomach at times and wrap around his body to keep him from moving. Like he was just as frustrated with Luido as Luido was.

Zan hadn't changed back into his human form since we'd all come together. His tails curled around each girl and even feigning sleep himself. To some it would look like a picture of protection, a large fox guarding humans from danger. To me it looked like a picture of stupidity and _was_ the danger, but I couldn't help envying the look of comfort on each sleeping face while my bones ached from the cold.

"How do you feel?"

The voice brought me back from the edge of falling asleep and I looked up to see Zenith standing next to me with a look of concern, black eyes watching me silently. The tips of his black hair shined slightly with frost and his breath came out in clouds of heat, but he seemed undisturbed by the cold that filled my aching lungs. A black shirt covered him loosely, but one could tell his body was finely toned with muscle, muscle that could hurt if he got angry. Not that he needed it, he was a demon after all.

Zenith kneeled down next to me and reached out, touching my silvery scarred shoulder. I jumped as searing electric heat radiated through me. My body tried to move instinctively away from him, but I then realized my body was more numb than I had thought. My hands laid motionless in my lap and my legs refused to budge. Even my voice felt like it was frozen in my throat. My heart pounded frantically then. I couldn't move, only my eyes, which were still on the verge of shutting down, would obey me. What would Zenith do to me now that I couldn't fight back? I squeezed my eyes shut, no amount of adrenaline could chase away to tiredness I felt, but at the same time I couldn't sleep with the threat of Zenith being so near.

When he realized I couldn't move, he cursed under his breath and without warning, scooped me up into his long arms and sat with me cradled between his raised knees and chest. My body shook uncontrollably as his heat pierced through the ice of my skin. My muscles tightened and I let out an involuntary whimper at the pain that shocked my entire nervous system. Usually I could stand pain, had learned to take it without much thought, but this was felt like I had died and was being brought back to life rather than being on the verge of death and slowly healing from it.

Zenith's arms tightened around me and his legs drew closer so it was like I was held in a vice. His hands rubbed my arms vigorously to get to blood flow back. "You need to stop being so stubborn," he reprimanded. "You'll kill yourself."

Luido ran over to us with a frantic look in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"She'll be fine," Zenith answered without looking at him. "Just being Fearless."

Luido stood there apprehensively for a moment. Staring at us like the world was going to end. It seemed to take the energy out of him, though, as he finally resigned that Zenith would make sure nothing bad happened and went to sit next to Zan, who's blue eyes watched us skeptically before he turned his head away and huffed.

After a few long, grueling minutes my muscles began to relax and would tremble every now and then. The warmth thawed my lungs and I gasped in air, finally feeling like I could breathe. I coughed at the surplus of oxygen I took in, my head feeling light and slightly dizzy. All the while, Zenith held me protectively, his big warm hands caressing anywhere he felt I was cold.

He took my cold hands carefully, like my fingers would break off if handled too roughly, and brought them to his mouth. My eyes widened and my heart tried to run from my chest at the simple gesture as he breathed warm air on my icy fingers. When I was able to move them of my own accord, I pulled them from his grasp, rubbing away what was left of the cold. The smell of his sweet yet musky breath lingered on my skin and for a moment I was jarred by the temptation to catch what was left and to taste its source.

Distracted by this, I barely noticed Zenith holding up his hand and conjuring blood fire in his palm. I froze instantly when I felt the added heat and stared at the flame as he moved it toward me. Everything inside my head screamed in a panic.

_Burn me! He's going to burn me! _I thought, feeling tears swell at the corner of my eyes. _Did I do something wrong? What did I do wrong?_

On instinct, as I had trained myself to do over the years, I became limp. Drowning out all sounds and sights and becoming like a corpse. Nothing was as tempting to demons as something that fought back, something that challenged to be conquered. Of course, I had never been able to fight back until the day I was given the blindfold. The blindfold…

_This is your freedom_, I remembered a kind voice telling me.

With that thought, I overrode my basic instinct and grabbed Zenith's wrist as hard as I could, pushing it away from me. I kicked my legs and struggled to get away from him, all the while he cussed, trying to get another hold on me.

"Let me go!" I screamed so loud it echoed through the labyrinth, no doubt waking to girls as I squirmed.

"Calm down, damn it," Zenith ordered, his voice holding more authority in it than I'd heard, but yet still having that note of kindness he'd always used. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Xeno!" I turned to see Bliss reaching a hand out, but she and the others were held back by Zan's tails. Her eyes were filled with fear as she struggled to move in vain.

Zan watched with interest but seemed bored by it at the same time. While Luido jumped up and down and ran in circles like someone on drugs. A stupid smile on his face like he knew something we didn't.

I growled and managed to scramble away from Zenith with enough time to pull my blindfold off and turn it into a scythe. However, before I could do anything with it, my ankle was caught and I was flipped on my back, the scythe sliding in a clatter out of my reach. The weight of Zenith's body pinned me down and I couldn't do any more.

_This is it_, I thought miserably.

"No don't!" I heard Bliss yell over the sound of Cinna's crying.

I felt the heat of Zenith's flame come closer to my chest and my breathing hitched as tears streaked down the sides of my face. _A slave again? _I wondered. _In the end we're all just slaves._

As quickly as it had come, I felt his palm hit my chest, the heat of the fire soaking into me like the warmth of his body. How could I have been so naïve? So stupid… Then I realized there was no pain, no burning sensation on my skin. Zenith's hand lifted and with it, the weight from my legs and he was gone.

In less than a second, I felt hands lifting my upper body up. All my strength was gone. I felt cloth wrap around my eyes and I opened to see Zan loosening his tail around the women. Bliss was the first up and running to me as Zenith retied the blindfold.

"What did you do to her?" she growled, pulling me from his reach.

"The same thing we did to you while you were sleeping if she'd cared to take notice," Zenith stated with slight irritation.

"He put fire into your bodies so you won't get cold anymore," Luido jumped in with a happy chirp. "Did you notice that you can't feel the cold now? He wasn't going to hurt you."

"Not that she needed much help," Zenith said. "The fire she can create just needed a little coaching." He came closer to me with a smirk on his face. "Feeling better?"

I glared at him and coughed. "Fuck you."

"I'll take that as a yes and a thank you, then," he guessed with a hint of laughter in his voice.

I couldn't understand it. These demons. They were definitely not like the others in this world. But why would they be if they came here voluntarily? They helped us, protected us. Urging us to trust them even though they were what they are. So did you believe them? Or go on believing what you knew? It was like a game, but no one knew how it was supposed to be played.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 - Demon's Word, Human's Promise**

"Okay," Zenith declared out of nowhere from the awkward silence that fell over us all. The girls all tensed around me, staring at him. Keeping our distance relatively safe, or what we considered safe at the moment. "Before this gets anymore difficult on us all, I say we get some things straight."

Bliss scoffed. "Like what?" Her arm was linked though mine both possessively yet defensively, like I would protect her if worse came to worse. Maybe I would. Honey held a frightened quiet Cinna behind me while Raven sat on the other side just behind Bliss.

"First off, I suppose demons here aren't all that nice to humans. Can't say they would be, demons will be demons. We've run into quite a few over the years though none have bothered us much." He waved his hand like it was no big deal. "If all the demons here have been sealed then I wouldn't doubt they would be on the more evil side of the gene pool. However, _we_" -gesturing to himself and the other two- "are not sealed, nor do we have any vendetta or interest in harming humans."

I glared at him suspiciously. "Hard to believe that."

Zenith shrugged. "Guess it depends on what you conceive as truth and lies. But I promise we won't hurt you, I give you my word."

I shook my head and laughed sarcastically. "The word of a demon? It's useless."

"Then what about the word of a human?"

We all turned, to see Zan adjusting his clothes around his human form. The way he had shifted was quiet, I hadn't even heard his bones cracking like Zenith's did. My heart hit my chest and hurt with an unknown familiarity as I watched him. His black hair fell over eyes the changed from a bright shade of blue to a nearly black hue. There was something in the back of my mind, but I couldn't see it.

"Human? You aren't human," Bliss argued, though somewhere in her voice I could hear hope. A kind of trust that was blooming despite insecurities. She was always looking for the good in people.

Zan shook his head. "Wrong, I'm half-human."

"Yet your brother is full-blooded?" I asked skeptically.

"Brother?" Zan questioned, glancing at Zenith the same way Zenith had reacted the first time. Then, somehow, it felt like a miracle when he laughed. It was soft, almost imperceptible, but it was there. For a second, it felt like I missed a breath when I heard it. Zan looked at me then and that one simple gesture accompanied by that quiet lovely sound made me want to cry, but I couldn't understand why. He shook his head, breaking whatever eye contact we had and it was like the spell cast over me was broken. I blinked, regaining myself. "Zenith isn't my brother, though I guess he could be. We look enough alike."

"Then if you _are_ half-human, prove it," Bliss interjected.

Zan nodded, placing his hand over his heart. From beneath his palm, an eerie blue light began to shine and sparkle.

"Zan that's too risky," Zenith stated with warning, about to stop him before Zan sent him a piercing look that froze him where he stood.

With a gasp of discomfort, Zan pulled his hand away from his chest. Whatever was in his palm pulled a thin silver chain attached to it from the dimming light above his heart. When it came all the way out, the light disappeared and Zan winced slightly in pain but it was gone as quickly as it'd came. He let out a breath I hadn't noticed he'd been holding and walked toward me. I wasn't sure if it was just me, but I could have swore that he looked much weaker than a demon should. Slowly, almost as if he had to concentrate on not collapsing, he kneeled in front of me and from his hand dropped a shiny silver object dangling from the chain.

I watched it like I was hypnotized. I might have been since I couldn't tear my eyes away from the silver hourglass no bigger than the size of a key. Beneath the glass swirled smoke that glowed even more blue that his eyes. The sight of it made my heart kick in pain. From where the chain hung from his fingers, I could barely see that his hand was shaking with much concentration to hide it.

"This," Zan said after taking a few seconds to compose himself. "Is my soul." Shock coursed through me and I looked up at him. His hair obscured most of his eyes, but I could tell the blue I had once seen there was darker and less vibrant than before. More pained than he let on. "Take it as my promise. If you suspect any dishonor in us, break it with the intention of killing. Breaking it otherwise would return it to me." With that he separated the chain and slid it over my head to hand like a necklace.

I couldn't help myself as I reached up and gingerly ran my fingertips along the cold silver. Why would he go to such extents? Just showing that he even had a soul was enough evidence of his proclamation. Willingly delivering it to the hands of one that would actually use it against him was pure insanity.

"Is that enough to gain even a speck of your trust?" Zan asked in a whisper, his voice was low enough it was hard to detect the weakness he was hiding. But I heard it.

Words were spilling from my mind and coming so fast they caught like a dam in my throat. All I could do was nod. And in that little motion, it was like the air had lifted and there was a sense of ease that took over between us all. Somehow the breaths we'd all been mentally holding were exhaled with relief.

Bliss stood a little hesitantly and reached out her hand. "I'm Bliss. This is Raven, Honey, Cinna," she paused and I could feel her looking down at me. "And Xeno."

Zan took a few steps back, but it was like I was the only one that could see the shakiness in his legs. He didn't say anything as Zenith came over and set a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Like showing any hint of weakness by helping was as forbidden as the sunlight in this world. I could only stare with my heart aching at the sight of both of them. Why? What was it dying to be remembered in the back of my mind?

"I'm Luido! Nice to meet you!" He jumped in front of the other two without regard to personal space as he grabbed hold of Bliss's hands and jumped up and down excitedly. His aura bursting with all the energy he had been holding in. The bright white smile spread across his face from ear to ear. "That's Zan and Zenith, just in case no one got that. Oh! And this is Kai." He lifted his shirt to reveal a scar looking mark across his stomach. It opened like a mouth and out of it antennas of the strange centipede came out as it peeked its large white head and beady blue eyes at us. Its mandibles clicked together as if to greet us.

Bliss pulled back with slight shock and fear that the strange thing while Raven squealed. "EW! Put it away!"

Luido seemed hurt by this, holding his hands over the insect as if to shield it from the words, though he must've expected this as his expression quickly changed back to a smile.

"Well, now that the formalities are over, might I suggest we find a way to get out of this labyrinth?" Zenith stated finally.

"It's impossible until the timer goes off," I stated, grabbing the backpack the still lay on the ground. The face of it was broken, most likely from the drop here, so I couldn't tell the time.

"What's the timer for?" Luido asked curiously, pulling his shirt back down.

"It's a detector that goes off when it senses time change," Bliss replied.

"You mean when this world changes shape, it goes off?" Zenith asked with slight interest.

"More or less."

"How often does it go off? 'Cause this world has changed a lot in the years we've been here."

"We don't know. Just comes randomly," Bliss explained. She put her thumb on her chin as she thought of an example. "Imagine this world like a glass ball filled with smoke. Of course the smoke swirls around and some parts are lighter and darker than others, sometimes it might move slow and other times fast if you were to shake it. Think of the smoke as time and time is what makes things change, so every time the world changes its like the glass ball is being shaken causing things to transform dramatically."

"So this place is like a ticking time bomb," Zenith murmured.

"Time bomb? Where? I don't want to blow up!" Luido said frantically, looking up and down the tunnels.

This time he was thumped on the head by Zan. "Metaphor, Luido. Metaphor."

There was a loud growl that echoed though the cave and we all turned to see Cinna holding her stomach. "Momma, I'm hungry," she complained

Honey looked at me apologetically and I sighed, handing the backpack over to her. She took it gingerly, like I might change my mind and snatch it back. Taking what was left of the bread and cheese, she tore it delicately and as even as possible. Handing out the rations between us all.

"That's what you eat?" Zan suddenly asked, watching us with a look of pity.

"Food is hard to come by here if you don't have anything to trade," I replied, my ration disappearing in two bites. "And there aren't many places that give out food to those who aren't demons."

Both Zenith and Zan looked at each other. Zenith smirked and laughed quietly when he glanced at me. "Why don't you just steal it?"


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 - Worlds Apart**

Something about his words gave a thrill. A sense of familiarity with the act. Stealing. I couldn't steal. To steal meant punishment. Punishment meant torture. I was not about to go through it for a full stomach that would only last a day. Yet the idea gave a yearning I hadn't had before.

"We'll manage without," I stated, scooting back to sit against the wall.

Zenith just smiled and Luido looked like he was having spasms as he danced around our huddled group with extreme interest in our eating.

"So, you know where we come from," Zenith mused to break the silence. "Where do you all come from?"

His question made the silence thicker than he had intended to. The girls exchanged glances before looking at me. I was glad no one could see my eyes. I was sure they might've given the them a scare. My body was stiff at the question as anger built up inside me. I could feel invisible hands sliding across my skin and grabbing me as unwanted memories sprang to mind before I could stop them.

_Scented candles of erotic fragrances. The sheets of the bed soft and tangled uncomfortably around my body. The sound of nothing but heavy breathing and gasps for air from the heat that seemed to take away the ability to breath, or maybe that was the hands that I felt clasped around my throat…_

_Next to my ear I felt hot breath stir my hair. "Oh, Butterfly," his words sang in a seductively playful tone. "My beautiful Butterfly."_

I shook my head suddenly, snapping myself away from my tormentor's haunting. The hourglass around my neck jingled from the movement. A reassuring hand settled against my back and I glanced to see Bliss looking at me with concern. She knew my tells when I thought about things I hated. Things not worth being memories.

"Nowhere," I finally said, not looking at him. I put an edge in my tone warning him not to ask again.

He seemed to get the hint. "Okay then, how about explaining why you can produce fire?"

I did look at him then before lifting up my hand and snapping my fingers to make silvery purple flames burn on the tips. "I don't know. I've always been able to do it."

Luido seemed awestruck by it as he crouched down in front of me and stared at it like a bug attracted to light. "Kirei!" he whispered with fascination. Then holding out his own hand he produced a blue flame that burned a little brighter in color than the flames Zan had on his tails.

"What?" I asked skeptically.

"You can't see the color?" he questioned back.

I shook my head. "I can see the color of your flame, everything else is in grayscale."

"But you can tell what colors things are?" Zan asked, he sounded tired and began to show a little as he sat closer to me than normal.

"After a few years I've honed my skill of detecting shades of gray as certain colors, yes," I replied.

"You would figure colors out," he whispered barely audibly to himself. His eyes drifted closed as he leaned against the wall for support. I didn't understand why I had the sudden urge to offer him my lap to sleep on, but I pushed the idea away.

"So you've been here twenty years?" Zenith asked me to make conversation, seeming slightly bored being stuck with nowhere to go. "But if you weren't born here, then how is it you don't look like you've aged a day?"

"Coming off saying you want a woman to look old isn't exactly a good idea," Bliss laughed, like it was the most hilarious thing she'd ever heard. She glanced at me and smiled. "Time doesn't really effect humans like it normally should. It's like the rest of the world moves on without us and everything living is frozen in time."

"Huh, probably explains why I haven't needed to eat souls since I came here." His words froze everybody and we all stared at him. He lifted his hands innocently. "What? Just means no one's in danger of a mad hungry demon."

"Is it raining?" Luido suddenly asked. We all looked up at the exact moment the watch went off.

My eyes widened. "Hurry, hold onto each other," I yelled quickly, grabbing a hold of Bliss's outstretched hand while she and the others linked together so we wouldn't lose each other again. The men stood close. I examined what I could of the cave, anticipating anything.

Water began dripping on us from the ceiling and started to come more rapidly each second. There were no visible cracks for the liquid to get through, but it came anyway as if the rock was a sponge instead. The sound of crashing and water gurgling echoed from down the tunnel. On cue all our heads turned in its direction. From the tunnel a few yards down that Luido had jumped down from, a downpour of water came. It flooded both ways and hit us before we could move our feet. The girls yelled, tightening their grips as the water covered our heads and pushed us down the tunnel. The water pushed and pulled at us.

I hit my head against the wall so hard I nearly blacked out. The hit made me cough, and panic filled me when I couldn't get air without drowning. My grip had loosened to and I tried to get a better hold on Bliss's hand before I was slammed against a ridge, feeling something crack as I was sucked down another tunnel. I felt the alarm in Bliss's fingers and she tightened, but it was too late. Our hands slipped and they were gone. I was gone.

I scrambled frantically for something to hold on to. As soon as my hand hit the hard stone, I burst up through the water. I gasped, coughing and splashing to keep myself above the surface. My blindfold slipped from my eyes, but I could tell the air was open and fresh rather than stale and closed off. I choked as the water turned extremely salty, it didn't help with the sudden urge to throw up. My breaths came quick, but I couldn't get efficient enough oxygen. My limbs began to numb and wouldn't work as my legs tried to kick me up.

Something grabbed me by the collar and pulled my head above the water. I coughed and choked until I managed to get some decent gasps of air in my lungs. Whatever was holding me shifted and I bumped against it, feeling it shift positions to get in front of me. I felt something hot and soft tangle between my fingers. Instinctively, I gripped to stay above the water, using my other hand to adjust my blindfold back over my eyes.

When my vision came back it was slightly blurry from the water, but I saw I was holding onto Zenith in his wolf form. His red eyes glanced back at me while he clawed at the water, lifting large clawed paws all the way out as if testing it. Then in one lunging push, he pulled us out of the water. Standing on the water like it was solid ground. The water dripped from his fur like mini waterfalls. I gripped on harder as he shook his head of it and the rest of his body followed suit.

I glared at him, but he didn't seem to care as he coughed his own saltwater out of his lungs. I wrung my hair out and took a look at the scenery. It was bright, water went on as far as the eye could see and it reflected the blinding rays of the sun, making everything look white in my eyes the farther out I looked. There was no land anywhere and I couldn't see anyone else swimming above the waves.

"God damn it!" I screamed, my voice echoing through the distance. Anxiety hit me then and it felt like my lungs couldn't expand. My breaths quickened and I coughed into my hands. It felt like my insides would come out, my throat burned. I heard Zenith whimper at me, seeing him looking back at me and I concentrated on being calm. When my breathing evened out I pulled my hands away to find blood covering the palms. My eyes widened frantically and I tried to act casual as I wiped them hard against my pants.

"What now?" I whispered, more to myself as I collapsed against Zenith's wet fur. He groaned, looking back and forth, making circles on the water. He let out a howl and seemed much louder than it had in the caves. He pricked his ears forward, listening for anything except ocean waves. His long nose sniffing the air for anything but salt. But by the way he kept howling however, there was no response. Finally, he just started walking, cautious of his steps in case he slipped back into the water.

I stared into the water, feeling dizzy and worn out. I had never been to the ocean before and I knew now I would never want to see it again. I had heard about the sun and its warmth, wanted to see and feel it for myself. Now the heat I could deal with, but the brightness of it was an annoyance. I would have rather lived in the cave than anywhere in the sun. But it could be days before the next shift in time. If we couldn't find land in this watery desert, we'd die. At least, I would. Without food and water, I wouldn't last for long in this environment.

The sun had moved almost all the way across the sky and it seemed like forever that we'd been out here. I sighed, reaching up and slipping off the blindfold to squeeze out what water I could. My eyes burned from the salt that had soaked into it. When I tied it back on though I spied something beneath the water. Zenith seemed to notice as well and stopped, looking down. The water seemed like it was jumping and shaking. Under the dark water I saw something move. An even darker shadow. And it was large.

Two long lines of a startling color I could _see_ waved back and forth on each side of whatever it was deep beneath us, swimming in a figure with us in the middle. I tensed and gripped Zenith's fur tighter as I watched the color with fascination. The lines glowed so bright even in the black water.

Zenith barked, his tails waving like a fan as he jumped around the water. He kept barking at whatever was under us like an excited dog that found a squirrel. Clawing at it with his paw. With enough persistence, the barking seemed to make the colors stop in place.

"Whatever it is," I commented. "I think you got its attention."


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 - Twice Empty**

Under us the monster moved, bringing the parallel lines of color closer as it neared the surface. I couldn't take my eyes away from it. The color got brighter while the shadow got darker and it was all I could do not to jump off of Zenith to touch it. But I did reach my hand out, my arms barely long enough for my fingertips to skim the water. It rippled and just as the water rose for the creature to burst through, the shadow and colors veered to the right. Instead of coming all the way out, a large fin pierced above the water a few yards away. The edges of it spiked like hair and stood as tall as a skyscraper above us as it serpentined through the water away from us.

Zenith barked at it as if to make it wait, but started trotting carefully across the water toe keep up as he followed it. I sat up strait and examined what I could of the creature. The shadow spanned a few hundred yards wide and the body was snakelike in movement beneath the water and extended much longer than I could see before the sun blinded me from the ocean. Thick lines extended from the body in certain spots with featherlike ends. A few thousand yards behind us another fin lifted through the water, more spiny than the front.

I should have been a little more fearful, but I was fascinated instead. Demons were the only ones who could bring that emotion from me and this mysterious creature had me mesmerized and not fearful at all. But I couldn't stop staring at the colors on its sides. Even though I couldn't make out exactly what the creature looked like, I couldn't help but feel like I'd seen it before even though I knew I never had.

I leaned forward, laying down against Zenith. My hand unconsciously ran through his soft hair while my other trailed across the top of the salty water. Every now and then I grazed the snake's scales and a rush of excitement rushed through me. Coupled with the warmth that I was suddenly aware radiating from Zenith's hardworking muscles moving beneath me. The more I concentrated on him, I could hear his heart beating with a quick melody. Somehow, I couldn't bring myself to pull back.

Being out here in the middle of nowhere, I should have been a little more tense. But I wasn't. I was perfectly content to just stay where I was. Listening to Zenith's heartbeat while I watched with fascination at black silhouette beneath us with the sun setting in the east and undoubtedly splashing brilliant colors I would never actually see across the sky. It was strange, but I was content. My eyes drifted closed from the relaxing mixed sounds of the ocean waves with Zenith's warm heartbeat.

There was rumbling beneath us and a loud high-pitched call and I snapped my eyes open. My illusion of contentment gone as I sat up and looked around a few hours later. It hadn't seemed like I had even fallen asleep. I didn't dream nightmares and my mind wasn't groggy, but the sun was rising in the north, lightening a starry night sky that sparkled above us like a blanket.

The colored scales of the snake under us glowed more bright under the water at night and I couldn't help but marvel. Zenith barked, and I glimpsed the red of the metallic design on his head shine slightly, but not as bright as the scales. I looked up to see mountains in the distance. Land. Solid green land.

Next to us, the fin halted in the water. The head of the beast turned to us under the water, the bright scales illuminating a glimpse of the side of its head. A long whisker waved in the water from a narrow, but large snout. A black glistening eye peered up at us. A clear eyelid slid across it sideways to blink before it moved deeper underwater and began to disappear, the fins pulling down. Somehow I felt sad to watch the creature go, taking the color with it. Slowly it dimmed and I couldn't see the silhouette anymore.

Zenith watched too before he turned back to the land and began to run toward it. At times his foot slipping into the water, though we traveled a lot faster across it. What would take a few more hours of distance to cross, we did in less than ten. The air was cold, but soon Zenith dropped into the water without a care, it coming only a few inches up his large paws as he padded up soft black sands of the beach, leaving footprints behind him.

Then I realized just how hard I was gripping onto his fur. My hands were white and blood rushed back into them as I let go. I sighed, sliding from him and onto the ground, sand coating my side and back. My body ached from the change of position. My back popped slightly from being straight rather than hunched over. I closed my eyes, breathing in the mix of fresh air with the salty ocean breeze. I stared at the changing light of the sky. From what I could tell, the gray was the tint of a violet purple blending into warmer colors.

"What color was it?" I asked quietly.

Zenith moved away from me and I heard him shake whatever water was left in his fur. I heard cracking and bones snapping. The sounds made me tense now, when it hadn't really bothered me before. Maybe I was thinking too much, remembering things that weren't worth it.

"What color was it?" I repeated, remembering the large colored scales sparkling like jewels.

"Amethyst. Purple," I heard him say.

I smiled with exhilaration. "Purple," I mused, letting the name I could finally put to the color roll off of my tongue with a sort of delicious delight.

"What was it? Have you seen it before?" I asked.

"Leviathan. There was one that existed in my world too, but emerald green."

I tilted my head up to see Zenith upside down standing with his back to me. He seemed tense, his head down. I knew something was wrong and flipped over onto my stomach, pushing myself up slowly just in case he did something out of character. Something he hadn't shown to me yet. As I raised though, I spied something around his neck. A large black mark on his skin that looked like it wrapped around his neck, two of them. They looked like…feathers.

"Are you alright?" I asked, reaching to touch his back.

"Don't," he growled, taking a large step away from me. I stared at him in confusion. "Just…" He glanced, barely, at me, his eye flashing a more heated red than normal, then he sighed looking away. "Just wait."

I stood there. Somehow I didn't want to disobey him. He had that authority in his voice that made me listen. That made me afraid if I didn't. Consequences for disobeying ran through my head. Hitting, biting, burning, breaking, choking… So I just stood there, my heart trying to escape my chest.

Zenith, without a word, began to start walking away. I felt surprise and the only thing I could think was that I didn't want to be alone. I didn't want him to leave. So without another thought, I took quick steps toward him and grabbed the back of his cloak. It was a whirl and things happened fast. Zenith moved in a flash, turning me around, covering my eyes with his hand despite the blindfold. My heart pounded and I tensed, grabbing his arms as if to stop him, but his arms held no threat in them.

I felt his breath on in my ear, stirring my hair. My vision was black and I could only feel him. "Go to sleep," he whispered. "You look tired." And without warning, my eyes closed and I felt more darkness luring me to sleep.

* * *

The sound was faint and echoed. My eyes opened but everything was fuzzy. Someone called to me and I could feel something touching my face, but it felt numb. I groaned, this feeling was familiar. I tensed, my mind panicking when my body refused to respond. The feeling of being sedated. Foggy, hazy. I forced myself to pull out of it as fast as I could. What had been done to me?

I blinked quickly, trying to dissipate the murkiness in my vision. Slowly, my eyes began to clear. A blurry silhouette came into view and began then became Zenith's annoying smirking face. I grunted, lifting my hand to rub my temple. A major headache pounded it. Something happened. I could remember the ocean and that thing. What was it? Leviathan. Right. And something else… Awe, feathers. After that I couldn't remember anything. Maybe it was just a dream.

"Hey, Fearless," Zenith greeted. I was sitting on his lap and my heart skipped a beat. "How you feeling? The rocks didn't treat you very well. And I gotta say, the ocean is no good to your hair." There was slight humor in his voice.

I moaned. "Why is it that every time the world changes, you're the one I end up being separated with?"

Zenith grinned wider. "Maybe you like me."

I growled, punching him in the chest and heard a satisfying grunt from him. "How come I'm not hurting? And what's wrong with my hair?" I asked with annoyance.

His eyes softened slightly and his smile gentled. "Zan's soul is healing you. Wherever he is, he's taking most of the your pain for himself. As for your hair… It looks like a ragged mop."

I looked down to see the silver hourglass glowing blue inside resting against my chest. "Will he be okay?"

Zenith chuckled. "Without his soul is a good a bad thing. It's dangerous with demons wanting to steal it for themselves, but then again without it he's practically invincible. The pain be a little more extensive, but even being attacked with something ethereal he'll most likely survive as his soul is safe."

"Why'd he give it to me?" I asked with puzzlement, taking the figure carefully in my fingers as I stared at it.

"You'd have to ask him that," he said softly, looking at the smoky glow with a tender gaze.

"You don't have a soul," I stated. "Do you want to eat this?"

He smirked. "No, though it's tempting, I don't need it. I haven't had a need for souls since I got here and I don't need the advantages of having a half's soul."

The good thing about wearing a blindfold was that no one knew exactly where I was looking. And I was looking at Zenith. His red eyes were gentle as the examined the hourglass and I could remember that look from somewhere. "Do you ever…" I hesitated. "Feel empty without one?"

Zenith looked at me and suddenly he leaned his head on my shoulder and nuzzled my neck as his arms tightened around me. I stiffened and my heart tried to escape my chest, but he didn't seem to even notice. "I've been empty for seven years."


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 - Anomalies**

It was a while that we just sat there. I stared at the sunrise, but my mind was concentrated on a sleeping Zenith. Or maybe sleeping, I couldn't really tell without moving. His head rested heavily on my shoulder and I couldn't see his face, but I knew his eyes were closed and his breathing was slow and even. Cool and warm across my skin, making it tingle while I had a hard time breathing. One arm was wrapped around my back and his other draped across my stomach limply.

This was an odd moment to me. I should have gotten up and distanced myself from him. But something made me stay there. Something made me examine what I could of him, a dire need like I would forget about him. What he looked like. What he felt like. What he _smelled_ like. I couldn't help but stay there with him holding me in a strange comfortable way that I shouldn't have liked, but I did. It was…different.

His fingers were long and thin, but still strong. _For choking. Wrapping easily around your throat with just one hand._ I took a sharp intake instinctually to make sure I could still breathe. My body tensing at the memory of lack of oxygen. The movement made Zenith's arm behind me tight and pull me closer, but he let out a sight that confirmed he was asleep. His forehead rubbed against my neck and for a second I felt his lips skim over it and made my heart flutter.

I let out the breath I'd been holding. A nervous and shaky breath. Scars on my neck tingled, particularly two of them against the sensation of his soft, meaningless caress. I cursed to myself, closing my eyes. _Don't remember. Don't remember._

"_Don't worry," his sadistic voice whispered. "It won't hurt…much."_

Without meaning to, I really did cringe. My head shaking involuntarily to get rid of the voice. That hideous voice.

Then I felt Zenith wake, his movement pulling me from nightmares. He lifted his head his eyes barely open and still sleep fogged. I stared at him an unusual urge to kiss each eyelid. He looked so innocent, like an actual human rather than a demon. Then he yawned, his lips curling back like a dog, showing his teeth and four pairs of fangs that extended slightly like they were stretching themselves before retracting. For some reason I found it oddly fascinating rather than terrorizing. He spied me looking at him and raised a curious eyebrow.

"What?" he asked, his voice trying to hold a teasing tone that was overrode by groggy innocence like a child. I laughed without warning and he looked at me strangely. "Did the saltwater go to your head?"

I covered my mouth, but the smile still lingered behind my hand as I looked away. Not speaking until it disappeared and the odd delight dispersed with it. "Sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me."

Zenith smiled. "No, it's okay. It sounds like music."

I felt my stomach lighten and we stared at each other for a longer than I could count. "Anonymous," I stated suddenly. Zenith's eyes, which had been roaming across my blindfold trying to find eyes to stare at finally stopped as if he had. They lost their curious look and turned darker red, solidifying with a sudden seriousness. "That's what Zan called me when you all first found us."

Zenith looked away, toward the ocean, the sun lighting his face and making his eyes look like they were on fire. Faintly, ever so faintly, he nodded.

"Who is she?" I asked as softly as I could unless the words be inaudible.

He was silent for so long I had trouble processing it. Why? Why did he look so troubled. Especially over a girl? "She, uh…" he began, looking down to stare at the sand. His voice turned thoughtful and the darkness left his eyes, finally allowing him to look at me. He smiled like nothing was wrong. "She was Zan's best friend ever since he was little. The only one that accepted Luido like family without question." He laughed, remembering something from the past. Suddenly I had an envy for that kind of memory. "And she was my brother's lover, his soul mate."

I tilted my head. "And to you? What was she to you?"

Zenith's smile faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. "She was…she was like you. The punch you whenever she can because she can, smart ass comeback, laugh when you fall, boss you around, annoying as hell but still want to be around kind of friend." He tilted his head with a scrutinizing look. "Maybe she was like more my mother, I don't know," he laughed jokingly, but I could tell between all the words that they weren't what he had wanted to say.

I stared at him with my eyebrow raised skeptically. "And I look like her," I stated.

He nodded. "And you look almost exactly like her. Even act like her too."

"But I'm not her." There was something hopeful in his tone, but my words seemed to kill the light in his eyes. Again, somewhere in the back of my mind something told me to hurt and want to take back my words, but I couldn't 'cause they were true. Strange thing was that I didn't want them to be.

"You-" he started before looking away from me and at the ocean. "What is that?"

I followed where he looked. From the ocean, up and down the coast, hundreds of bodies began to walk out. Some limped, others crawled. The skin was pale and sick looking, patches were gone and blood covered them. Their heads lolled to the side as they walked towards us filling the air with grunts and eerie moans.

I jumped up, feeling oddly pained when Zenith's heat slowly receded from me. But he was up next to me and I was distinctly aware of his presence.

"What are they?" he asked again.

I growled, reaching up and pulling off my blindfold, feeling it harden into a scythe in my palm. All foreign feelings disappeared as defensive and offensive instincts kicked in. "Zombies," I stated with angry annoyance. "Damned ridiculous over-exaggerated aberrations of the supernatural world."

The moaning got closer and louder with the growing crowd coming around us, but all I could hear was Zenith laugh. "This coming from the woman who hates the supernatural."

I turned my head toward his direction, though I couldn't see, and glared. "Shut up," I spat. "We need to find a way out of here and we don't need the useless banter and smartass retorts."

I could tell he crossed his arms and feel his eyes looking at me with amusement. "Actually I like the useless banter and smartass _retorts_." Growling, I swung the scythe at him, not really meaning to hit. "Easy now, I haven't turned into a zombie yet."

I raised my eyebrow. "Is that possible? Have you even faced these retarded things before?"

The smile was so evident on his face I had to roll my eyes. "No, first time, but I take it you have, so I should be safe."

"Oh you have no idea how much I want to hurt you right now."

"Do it if I turn into a zombie," he laughed. I glared at him again, discomforted by the thought. "Don't let your brain jump out of your ear, I'll figure a way to get us out of here."

I sighed with exasperation. "That's not funny. What's your plan?"

"Want to have a competition?"

I gave him a scrutinizing look. "What?"

"See who can kill the most zombies before they get tired."

"You got to be kidding me right?"

His voice was thoughtful. "No. Me and my brother used to do it all the time. Except we chased rabbits in our backyard until they were all nearly extinct from that area…" I just kept staring at him, at least hoping I was staring at him with the most blank looked I could possible give. I heard him move and felt his breath against my ear. "Come on, Fearless. Get rid of some of that pent up aggression. I won't let you get hurt." Then in a rush of air I heard cracking and something hitting the ground only a short distance away. "One-zero," he called, then louder cracking and snapping before a challenging howl that shook through my body then the sound of fire and heat around me like a starter circle.

A sudden competitive urge crept through me as I heard screams and moans. I smiled, surprisingly liking the sounds and charged forward blindly through flames that didn't hurt. My scythe lead me like instinct. I swung it like it was alive and in control instead of me. Following an invisible push and pull as it sliced through one after another of the living dead like butter. When you normally feel blood, it's warm and more liquid-like, but this was cold and thick like mud as it splattered everywhere. Something malicious rose inside of me, a strange enjoyment that fascinated and disgusted me.

"167."


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 - The Delight**

I'm not entirely sure how long I went on this killing spree, but it must've been a while. Soon the annoying moaning and screeching died out. My breathing was heavy and I could feel blood drying as it slowly slid down my skin onto the undoubtedly drenched sand. Zenith was right. All my tension I hadn't known I had left me like a burst of air. My body felt light and flighty like I might fall and die. Everything around me felt surreal. The warmth of the rising sun had disappeared and I could smell the coming rainstorm. My white knuckle grip on my scythe loosened, my hands shook as it turned back into soft fabric.

Hesitantly, I raised it to my eyes, about to tie it until I opened my eyes. I saw hundreds of bodies, pieces of limbs, heads lying with their mouths hanging open or jaws detached to the side, bones sticking out grossly from torn skin that expanded for miles. Just then the smell hit me. Biting at my nose like sour food and rotting flesh. I could hear screams, screams of women overlapping with the echoes of zombies. Dropping the blindfold to the ground, taking my vision of the horrific scene with it. I turned, bending over and vomiting up bile since I didn't have enough food to stay in my stomach. It burned my throat and I grimaced.

"_Doesn't it smell lovely?" he whispered behind me. "If only you could see it my Butterfly. How beautiful it all is." His arms wrapped around me lovingly, at least would have seemed loving if I didn't know better. I tensed, mind focused on him and where his cold hands moved. Across my breasts possessively, over my stomach, claws leaving slight scratches on the skin, moving lower. "All a gift for you, my love." His breath was hot against my neck, sending terrified chills that made me freeze. I felt two pinpricks against the skin and closed my blind eyes as if that would make me blind to everything else._

"Hey, Fearless, are you alright?"

I gasped at Zenith's warm hand suddenly on my back. "Stop!" I yelled, trying to jump away from him but instead running straight into him. "Don't! Don't touch me," I cried, feeling tears falling without thought from my eyes. Pounding my fists against his chest futilely. I felt arms come up to wrap around me, restraining, but not commanding.

"_Hold still, be a good girl._"

"Shh, it'll be alright," Zenith crooned into my ear. His hands didn't move. They stayed put against the middle of my shoulder blades and small of my back.

"_What is my reward?"_

"It's not a gift. It's not a gift," I sobbed.

I knew he was confused, but for one moment he acted like he understood everything. What he said felt like it broke me. "Sorry." My heart felt like it was pierced yet somehow the pieces were being very slowly put back together. I had heard him say it before, now I actually listened and it was the most wonderful relief I'd ever felt.

I gasped for breath, grabbing a hold of Zenith's shoulders for support. Digging my nails into him as if he'd disappear. His arms tightened and his head leaned against mine, but he never said another word as I stood there frozen and trying to pull myself together. His scent, dark and musky, made my senses tingle as it wafted around me. It was different to the copper smell of cold blood. More relaxing. Even his heart I could hear like a calming lullaby.

After a few minutes, something hit my head. I looked up feeling soft drops of rain begin to kiss my face. I let out a long sigh and loosened my fingers slowly. Taking a step back and shifting my eyes around like something might appear for them to look at. They burned slightly as the tears stopped. I breathed slowly, concentrating on his smell instead of the rank that made my head pound. Luckily the fresh smell of rain began to make it dissipate. The rain got heavier, the drops getting bigger.

"Who won?" I asked simply, dropping my hands and kneeling slowly with my hands out to find my blindfold.

Just as I grazed something wet and sticky and cold, I felt firm hands grip my arms and pull me back up. I tensed until they loosened unthreateningly and fingertips grazed the side of my face.

"I don't know, wasn't keeping track 'cause I was too busy watching you," Zenith's soothing voice finally came. Normally, I would have rolled my eyes, but I just stared at where I thought his face would be. "But I'll let you win." He grabbed my arm, lifting it up before I felt something soft against my wrist and he began to tie something around it.

"You don't like the smell, do you?" he asked after a few moments. "Or the killing."

"I…" my voice shook slightly. "Demons here take delight in butchering innocent lives just for the hell of it. I…" I inhaled sharply, painfully. "I took delight in the killing. Even if they shouldn't exist, I liked killing them and hearing them die."

"Sorry," Zenith said again. "I don't kill humans, but I can't say I don't like killing. Comes with the species, I guess."

"That's just it," I whispered looking blindly up at him. "I never liked it, even when killing demons to stay alive, I never liked it."

He was quiet for a few seconds. "Well then, let's get you out of here." He tightened the fabric around my wrist that I figured was my blindfold before suddenly an arm was around my waist and lifting me up and setting me over his shoulder.

"What in God's name are you doing?" I nearly screamed, grabbing handfuls of his

cloak for security. The serious air vanishing like it never existed.

"You need to wash up, you kinda stink," he announced.

I smacked the back of his head. "Put me down," I ordered, kicking my legs.

"No, you're covered with blood and we can't have your pretty face all dirty," Zenith stated, sloshing into the waves of the ocean. Salty drops splashing up and mixing with the rain.

"Good Lord, you can't be seri-OUS!" I screamed as Zenith grabbed me and dropped me into the water. I came up, gasping for air and glared angrily at him as I stood.

"Hey you look a lot better," he said with a laugh.

"I'll show you better, mutt," I growled, jumping at him with just enough surprise that he lost his footing and we both fell into the water. Zenith started laughing as he hit him furiously until I was exhausted. I sat back and sighed with annoyance, ringing the saltwater from my hair to be replaced by rainwater.

"Wow, you sure showed me," Zenith mused, sitting up next to me. I felt him lean close and suddenly I heard him shaking his head like a dog and water sprinkling all over me.

I tried to growl, but it turned more into a laugh as I held my hands up as a shield. "Damn it, stop." I heard water splashing and then felt a hand on the side of my face.

"You still got some right here," he said, dotingly caressing my jawline with his thumb.

I felt his face close to mine, the heat of him contradicting the cold of the rain. Unconsciously I leaned forward, so close I could feel his breath against my face. It smelled sweet, warm, like the rain mixed with the sun. Slowly I reached out, my hand bumping into him and I felt him still beneath it. I reached with my other hand and both wandered up his hard chest, fingertips skimming the warmth of the skin of his neck. Zenith swallowed and I felt myself gasp as the sensual feeling made a chill run up my spine. I continued upward, fingers grazing along his strong jaw.

As my fingers traced over his eyes, his nose, the image began to etch itself like a picture in my mind. Maybe it was cheating that I already knew what he looked like, but it was like the first time I could actually see him. All that was left… I leaned closer, my thumbs falling across his lips.

Something penetrated my brain. Cutting through my hypnotized mind and tearing apart my outline of Zenith. My eyes widened as he disappeared and I gasped, pulling back abruptly, feeling my lungs rush with cooler air. Pulling my hands away from his warm face and suddenly feeling empty.

"Do you hear that?" I asked, trying not to sound out of breath. Fumbling with untying my blindfold from my wrist.

Zenith shifted and I thought I heard an echo of the odd disappointment I felt in my chest as he breathed out. "Someone's crying," he finally said, his voice turning to curiosity.

I pulled on the blindfold, turning hesitantly back toward the beach before opening my eyes slowly. I felt relief flood through me when all I saw was black sand lined by a shelf of rocks before turning into a field of green. The rain had let up and no torn up zombies covered in blood blanketed the coast. It was a different scenery and it was beautiful.

I stood, listening closer. "Where is it coming from?" I walked across the shore toward a short overhang of rocks, I felt slightly nervous hearing Zenith follow. As I came closer to the rocks, the crying got quieter. I stopped, seeing freshly thrown sand spilling from a small hole under the rocks. Quickly, I moved toward the opening. Falling to my knees and peering inside to see a balled up, shaking, dirty little body. "Cinna?" I asked with surprise.

She peeked up at me with teary blue eyes, her face covered in sand. The moment she recognized me, Cinna gasped, scrambling out of her little makeshift hole and jumping into my arms. Wrapping her dirty palms around my neck and letting out everything her small lungs could muster, it was so loud I wanted to knock her out. But instead, I wrapped my arms around her, running my hands through her sand matted hair until she calmed down to sniffles and short coughs and gasps. "Aunt Xeno," she choked. "Aunt Xeno… Momma… Momma was…"

Gently, I took her arms from my neck and pulled her back so I could look at her. "Cinna, tell me what happened."

"Demons," Cinna managed, wiping red tear stained cheeks and eyes. "Demons took Momma."


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 - Nothing But Blind**

I froze, staring at Cinna for so long it wasn't really boosting her confidence. More tears carved rivers through the sand that covered her face. Snot ran from her nose and she wiped it on her arm. I tried not to cringe, this was why I didn't get along with children. They were all drool and snot and senselessness.

"Cinna," I said, gingerly grabbing her wrists that weren't covered with slime so she didn't wrap her arms back around me. "Tell me exactly what happened. Was anyone else with you? Bliss, Raven?"

Quickly she nodded. "Aunt Bliss was. We walked for a long time then roaring demons came. Momma told me to run fast." Tears began to come faster and she tried to hold in the sobs.

I nodded, trying to smile comfortingly. "Okay, that's good. That's very good."

"_That's a good girl."_

I shook my head of the voice. "Cinna, I need you to take me to where the demons came. Can you do that? Or did the world shift while you ran?"

She shook her head. "No, I can take you," she sniffled.

"Okay," I said, wiping some grime from her face with my thumb and smiling a little easier, despite my concern.

Just as she was about to lead the way, Zenith piped in, "We should get you cleaned up first." I glanced up at him to see his face was blank and it was hard to grasp exactly what he was thinking. His hands were in his coat pockets and he pulled one out, extending it for Cinna to take, giving her a more comforting smile than I could manage.

She looked at him with slight fear, glancing at me and I nodded reassuringly. Slowly, she reached her small hand out and put it in his, allowing him to lead her to the water. I sat back at watched with a strange jealousy as she gasped at the cold and he kneeled down, cupping water in his hands and washing all the sand from her with delicate care. Soon Cinna was giggling and splashing the water at him, running with squishy steps across the shore as he laughed and chased after her.

"Awe, I want to go swimming too!" a voice yelled. Before I could turn, I was slammed into from behind. Arms wrapped around me and hugged me tightly as I reached up, grabbing their head and pulling them over my shoulder and throwing them onto the ground. I was about to scramble away before I realized it was Luido. His eyes were wide and his mouth gaped open from lack of oxygen. When he finally found his breath he focused on me and smiled. "Hey, X, let's go swimming!"

I stared at him critically. "Where in the world did you come from?" I asked, nearly yelling, with annoyance. "And don't call me X, I hate nicknames."

Luido smiled wider and pointed at me. "Zan sensed where his soul was and led us here." Then he stood to greet Zenith who carried a wet, but clean, laughing Cinna on his shoulders.

I looked up to see a figure in the distance walking toward us. Zan's hair covered his eyes and his face was lowered with his hands in his pockets. Each step of his long legs made him look like he was walking in slow motion as his body waved back and forth. As he neared, he looked straight at me. His skin was paler than when I last saw and made dark rings under his eyes look darker and his deep blue eyes almost black. He looked sick.

"Zan?" I asked, feeling concern run through me. "Are you okay?"

Instead of stopping, Zan kept walking toward me until he fell onto me. I gasped at his weight, instinctively wrapping my arms around him for support and falling down on my knees. He groaned, adjusting his head on my shoulder. I was able to pull back enough to see his tired eyes were closed, but even then he looked pained. His breathing was ragged and labored. Without really knowing why, I reached up and began to run my fingers through his hair soothingly. It was remarkably soft and smooth as silk. His arms moved weakly around me in response. Zan's breathing began to even out and slow.

I glanced up to see Zenith looking down at us, his head tilted curiously. Luido had taken and was spinning Cinna from her arms in very fast circles in the field behind him like they'd been best friends for forever. I pointed at Zan questioningly, but Zenith just gave me a quiet smile and nodded that it was okay. Slowly, he moved to sit behind me so I could lean back against him.

"He looks bad," I whispered, feeling oddly protective as I held him in my arms. The feeling felt so familiar, so right, it frightened me slightly.

"He's just tired," Zenith whispered. "The farther he is from his soul the more tired he feels after healing. Give him some time, I've never seen him sleep for more than a minute at a time. Which is saying something, he needs sleep more being half-human and all."

With my other hand I rubbed his back, trying very hard not to jostle him as I moved my legs from under me so the circulation wouldn't be cut off. In response, his legs moved and his body curled in a ball like a child into a more comfortable position. I had to lean against Zenith for back support. And there, with those two men, those two demons, I felt the strangest, complete comfort I'd never felt in my life. I wanted it to last forever.

But it didn't. After a few minutes, Zan shifted and pulled away to sit up. My arms would have followed, but I forced them to drop and let him go. I felt suddenly an emptiness in my heart, it hurt enough I felt like crying. All I could think, all I could remember, was that one faint laugh he'd given before and I couldn't understand why I cared so much. Suddenly with his soft echoing laugh I could hear louder, clearer laughs that sounded like a young boy. The sound was so familiar I was about to laugh myself, feeling that hairline to the unknown in my head about to break. A fuzzy image came of some little boy squealing with hilarity, but all too soon it vanished as Luido and Cinna ran past us playing another game of tag, each one's laughter making me realize perhaps I was just being delusional. Maybe I had drank too much saltwater.

"What's it like?" Zan suddenly asked, not quite looking at me, but pretending to take an odd fascination in examining my combat boots.

"What?" I asked, trying not to sound so dazed and dumbfounded.

"Being blind?" he said, hesitantly looking up at me. His blue eyes not so death ridden, but still tired though they held a curiosity I couldn't help but indulge.

I tilted my hand, thinking of a way to tell him. Behind me Zenith shifted and his heat slowly dispersed from my back and I felt my heart skip a beat like I'd lost something important. He leaned to lay back on the sand to look up at me with nearly black red eyes seeming curious too. "Take your hands," I said, holding my hands together in a cup shape. "Look into them at the nothing. That is what it's like to be blind."

Zan, much to my surprising pleasure, cupped his hands as well and stared at them for a minute. "Like looking at air?"

"A little," I agreed. "It isn't black or white. Seeing blind is seeing nothing."

"But all I see are my hands," a voice complains. I turned to see Luido staring frustrated at his sandy palms like they're pieces of a puzzle he can't figure out. Cinna, too, mimics Luido with just as confused face.

Seeing her brings me back from my temporary blissful ignorance as I make no comment to Luido. "Cinna." She looks up at me with more energetic eyes. "Take me to where your mother is." At that her glowing aura dies almost to nothing. She nods silently and waits for me to stand before taking my hand and leading the way across the grassy field.

The others follow close behind, Luido skipping in circles around us like he couldn't care less about anything else. I feel Zenith lean in close to my ear so Cinna wouldn't hear.

"Are you really concerned about them? After all, they are just baggage," his voice whispers, an accusation hidden beneath the same exact manner I had said that to him. Somehow it sounded more horrible being said to me than when it came from my own mouth, but I don't let him know it phases me just like when my heart pounds whenever he's close.

"I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt," I replied smoothly, though I can feel disappointment in myself for it.

"Hmm?" His tone amused. "I wonder if you weren't blind, if you would actually be able to see."

I turned to him slightly, puzzled. The way he said it made me think he was talking about something more than Bliss and Honey. After that, no one said anything more, which I was quite frustrated at for the first time being left alone in my head to ponder over what Zenith said.

It was nearly an hour that we traveled that I begun to think that Cinna hadn't a clue where she was heading. The grass scenery merged onto a hard stony landscape that looked more desolate than the desert. I was about to call it off before she stopped and her hand tightened around mine, staring straight ahead. I followed her gaze, seeing black marks on the ground where there was obviously a scuffle. She began to sob softly so I picked her up and handed her to Luido, who took her without hesitation and began to distract her with another game that would involve Cinna getting dirty all over again.

I walked to the black marks and kneeled close. Scraping my fingers along them to examine what might've happened. The marks weren't warm, or even residual ash from fire. There was a distinct pattern to them and there were at least four different maze looking lines that formed a large circle I guessed Bliss and Honey were trapped in. I tensed, feeling both relieved and nervous.

Zan stayed where he stood while Zenith came up behind me. Leaning over to observe my detective skills. "So what's the verdict?"

I sighed. "They weren't taken by demons," I stated. "Though it won't be long if they aren't already in the hands of one." I stood, brushing off my clothes absently. "They've been taken by hunters. Humans that work like bounty hunters looking for any estranged humans that aren't _owned_." I spat the word with distaste. My eyes followed the skid marks as motorcycles drove from the circle further into the wasteland. "To sell them for little more than to keep their own freedom."


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 - Fractured**

There were only a few things I really feared. Demons and hunters. While demons ruled this world hunters were like higher up slaves that were given a little more freedom than most humans. As recompense, they would have to bring any human stragglers to the markets to be auctioned off like animals. Most demons in this world were male, so while human men weren't of much value unless requested, they were turned into hunters or more than likely sentenced to death or reproduce, and women were the prize that would grant more rewards.

However, women were scarce, most of them already captured and turned into slaves for the any of demon's pleasures. Finding any that hadn't been owned, like I was, was like finding a rare species. Bliss, Honey, and Raven had been born into their lives as slaves, trained and conditioned to withstand whatever torments. They did what they were told, they hardly fought back like I did. Even so, they would be worth a lot. No doubt demons would kill others just to have them.

"So why are you out here anyway?" Zenith asked.

We sat circled around a warm fire that was the only thing lighting up the dark landscape of the night. The smell of grass and saltwater was long gone. The calming sound of ocean waves replaced by suspicious sounds of rolling pebbles. Cinna laid sleeping soundly in Luido's lap. His elbow digging into his knee as his own sleep had taken him and made his lean heavily against his hand with soft snores. _Like children_, I thought, shaking my head.

"Cause I'm not anywhere else," I replied dully, staring intense scrutiny at the fire like it would give me an answer as to why I was even thinking about saving Bliss and Honey. We'd traveled for hours with no real sense of direction. It was possible they were just gone.

"Were you a slave?" Zan's voice was surprising, I noticed he didn't speak much, but when he did it was like hearing a rare bird sing. The fact he even asked was startling in itself. I knew Zenith and Zan would catch on quickly about things, but unlike Zenith, Zan seemed to be more blatant when asking questions.

"Yes," I blurted without consent. My mouth resisting the usual habit to come up with some retort or lie for him to leave the subject alone. "I escaped with the others."

"Were you one for your whole life?" There was something in his voice that made me feel on edge. It sounded slightly angry, though he seemed to try hiding it.

"Ever since I can remember."

"But you said you weren't born here," Zenith stated. "Then you must remember something before."

I shook my head with frustration as my mind pressed against the hairline of hidden memories in vain. "I don't remember anything from before."

"Are the scars from when you escaped?" Zan asked. I glanced at him warily. There was no doubt he knew the answer, but tried to ask as politely as possible.

I didn't know what it was, but the information volunteered itself without permission. Like I couldn't lie to him even if I tried. He was like a magnet that made people willingly talk about things that they didn't want to say. I looked down my arms at all the visible scars that weren't covered by makeshift gloves. My shoulders glinted with silver lines like messy spider silk that my shirt didn't hide, but my hair did most of the time.

"The only pain I had when escaping was bruises," I stated. "They disappear."

I knew I should have felt angry that these words, that a piece of my story was coming out, but I could actually feel a little relieved by it. "These," I said, pointing at darker looking spots on my skin, varying in length or just circular. "I can feel still feel burning my skin." Pointing at the webs of silver. "These I feel slicing into me. Stabbing." Slowly, I lifted the bottom of my shirt to expose my stomach and back. Gasping as I indicated several shiny circles that were a little more puckered. "Bullets shooting through me." I sighed, readjusting my shirt and bursting more fire into the circle of stones. Even with nothing to burn, it didn't act like it had no fuel. "Anything you can imagine was done to me."

Both Zan and Zenith seemed to be frozen and I couldn't decipher what they were feeling. But the looks on their faces was dangerous, like at any sudden movement they would snap necks. So I said nothing else and we all just sat in silence.

For a while everything was quiet. A few times I began to nod off, but being out in the open even with the protection of demons, I couldn't be comfortable. Having survived like this for years, it was a hard habit to shake. On each side of me the others had their eyes closed, but they weren't sleeping. Their breathing was too fast and not relaxed, though I couldn't understand why wouldn't be. In an instant, Zan was standing and staring in the distance. Zenith a few feet ahead of him before I could even blink.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Sounds like engines," Zenith said without looking at me.

"All of you go," I ordered instantly. They turned back to look at me critically like I'd made a bad joke. "Even from a distance they'll know you are demons and steer clear of you. The vehicles they use can match the speed of the fastest demons if you try to chase them down. So the only way to get them close is if you get away from here."

"And leave you as bait?" Zenith growled more angry than I had ever heard him. Zan scoffed along with his statement.

"I don't need your protection," I argued. "I can take care of myself. And if they're the hunters that took Bliss and Honey, they'll know where they are. If you don't leave, you'll kill them faster. You don't have to go far, just enough that they don't see you."

Zenith let out a rumble deep in his chest of irritation before turning around. His eyes hazardously red. "I won't let you be taken by them."

"I won't," I assured.

Sighing, Zenith jerked his head to Zan and moved to lift a limp Cinna carefully from Luido's lap. With a snort, Luido's head slipped and he opened sleepy eyes like he'd fallen asleep by accident. "What'd I miss?" he mumbled, trying to sound wide awake.

"Let's go," Zan stated, glancing at me doubtfully. Apparently too tired to argue or question why I wasn't going, he obediently got up and followed. In a few seconds they disappeared into the night.

I sat back down, trying to be casual though I could hear the rumble of engines getting closer now. When the first shadow appeared, I stood up, acting like a human caught red-handed and looking for an escape. But growling machines circled me like predators. The men driving wore worn leather jackets, one with a scratched helmet, another with a gas mask, and the other two wore bandanas with goggles. The wheels of their motorcycles kicked up dust and made me cough enough that I teared up. The warmth of the fire faded out until only bright embers helped me to see in the dark. A few seconds after, the movement stopped and the machines hummed quietly.

"Looks like we found ourselves a stray, gentlemen," one man chuckled happily, pulling down his bandana to reveal a goatee on his sharp chin and a nose piercing like he was some kind of badass that owned the world. "Blindfolded for us and everything." Kicking the stand on his bike, he swung off and sauntered toward me. "Mighty pretty little thing," he mused, reaching up to touch my cheek. I tensed, turning my face away. Forcing myself to stay calm when all I wanted to do was what I was trained to do and submit. "Like those other two fillies we found straggling along out here." I hesitated, looking at him sideways. He leaned in closer and I tried not to run, but leaned back as far as I could. "We had fun with them ones." His breath smelled like rotting flesh. "Right, Eighty?"

I tried not to laugh at the fact that men were all given numbers as their names. The fact that there was as high as eighty human men was astounding.

"Hey, Boss," the man in the gas mask called. "She looks like the runaway that all the demons are searching for."

Finally, I really did freeze, forgetting all about my plan or the demons hiding in the dark. In that instant, I felt completely alone. The man took another closer look at me. Turning me around and cruelly ripping my shirt down the back. Then he let out a howling laugh. "That she is," he barked with laughter. Grabbing me by the back of the neck he forced me against him. "You've been one elusive woman. You know how much you're little ass is worth, Butterfly? Julius will be glad to have you back."

My head felt light and dizzy until I realized my breathing had become ragged. My nerves were so wound up that it was hard to move. I couldn't go back. I couldn't. I wouldn't survive. Who would save me this time?

A howl split the air like lightning, startling the bikers. Before they could even rev their engines they were thrown to the ground. Zenith's wolf form tore mercilessly at one man's throat. A white flash of fox tackled another, pushing him into the third and crushing them under the heavy machinery. Then they circled us like the main course. I couldn't help but react, immediately falling limp.

The man holding me was shaking so much he dropped me on the stone. Raising his hands to surrender and getting on the ground himself to show servitude. In simultaneous cracks and shatters, from the corner of my eye I saw Zan grab the man and punch him dead in the face. Not enough to kill, but more than what a human could take. His jaw hung like a broken hinge from his skull as he screamed and looked at Zan with fear.

Beside me, I felt myself being lifted. Fingers gently grabbed my chin and turned me to look at Zenith. His red eyes filled with concern as he absently ran stroked my cheek with his thumb. "Stay with me, Fearless," he whispered, hugging me closer and nuzzling his face into my hair. "Xeno… Anonymous…"

Like a snap, I felt something inside me release. Suddenly my mind didn't feel so foggy. The hairline wasn't there and I plunged forth to indulge in what had been hidden on the other side. All was greeted with was darkness. Nothing was there. No clear pictures of hallucinated thoughts. It was just me alone without comforting memories. Maybe it really was all just in my head. The ideals that I might have known Zenith and Zan the way they seemed to know me. It was a long shot and I knew it was never meant to be real. But nothing made me feel as heartbroken as I did then with tears streaming down my face.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 - Old Habits**

My mind felt blank. I knew things were happening around me, but I couldn't seem to catch on enough to really pay attention. I knew I was thinking about things, but even that I couldn't understand enough to follow. Maybe it was just a sense of sudden loss. Everything about me felt empty. As soon as the hairline that had been unbreakable through any means broke, I was taken aback when there was nothing to greet me on the other side. It was like finally finding a key to a room that had been locked so long no one could help but be curious about what was on the inside. Once the door was opened, instead of being greeting by a spectacular array of dusty treasures, you only stepped into an empty room. Some part of me I knew had been hoping for some trace of closure, but the other knew I wouldn't get it. Now as I sat in a pool of disappointed hopes, I couldn't help but wish I'd never seen the other side of that door.

I felt my still limp body being lifted. Something warm enveloped around me before I was hoisted into the air. I looked blankly to see Zenith staring down at me with concern. Sighing quietly in defeat, I leaned my head against his soft furry shoulder. Was there ever a point in defying a world of demons? Were there ever memories for me to chase? The hinges of my mind's door creaked the depressing answer.

"The girls you caught, where are they?" I heard Zan question, his voice dangerously even. Giving emphasis on the fact that he'd already broken the man's jaw.

From the corner of my eye I could see Zan was holding the fearful hunter by the collar of his shirt. The man lifted a shaky hand and pointed in the direction they'd come in. His voice coming out in painful inaudible muffles. The whites of his eyes large and scared of what would come next. After a brief exchange in looks between Zenith and Zan, he grabbed the man's jaw and he screamed out, trying to fight back futilely.

"Be still," Zan ordered with annoyance.

Gripping the man's jaw tighter and shoving it back into place quickly, making him cry out with literal tears streaming down his face from beneath his glasses. With a quick snap, Zan dropped the man to the ground. He crumpled like a doll, holding his hands to his face only to discover with surprise that his jaw was completely healed. His eyes widened in astonishment, not saying a thing as he realized no one paid him anymore attention. Quickly he scurried to his unbroken bike, roaring it to life and zoomed away into the night.

"Lookie, lookie! I found food!" a happy Luido suddenly screamed. He and Cinna raided the saddlebags on the bikes to find bountiful amounts of assorted foods no doubt as the reward for turning in Bliss and Honey. Cinna munched away cheerfully on a succulent looking apple, the juices flowing down her chin, while Luido gathered what he could into one bag and hauled it over his shoulder. Both seeming undeterred by the dead bodies.

Luido came up to me and smiled kindly. "Banana?" he asked, holding up a long bowed fruit. I only stared at it, my body not my own at the moment. So I leaned my face back toward Zenith's chest, when I did Luido pursed his lips disappointedly and pulled open the skin to eat it himself.

"Are you alright?" Zenith asked, his chest rumbling from his voice.

I glanced up at him blankly before looking at my hand. It took some concentration and a few tries, but after a minute or so it finally raised and did what I wanted. The first times felt like I was a machine that needed oil, but my body went back to being mine the more I moved. When I was confident enough, I motioned for Zenith to put be down. Tightening my hands on his cloak that he'd so generously offered. My feet were unsteady at first, but it passed quickly and I was normal once more.

"Quite a defense mechanism," Zenith mused. "Though usually you run."

I rotated my shoulders, feeling the muscles tighten to normal and give me back more control. "I used to run. Sometimes I'm even able to fight," I said quietly, watching the flames of my fire smolder to nothing but burnt black rock with a little trail of smoke as the sky began to turn a lighter shade of gray with the coming morning. "But thirteen years of imprisonment by demons changes your instincts."

"What was it they called you? Butterfly?"

I tensed, feeling intense hatred for the word immediately. Zan watched me too with an unreadable stare. I looked away from him in shame. Slowly, I turned around and let Zenith's cloak slide down to my elbows to expose my shirt ripped back. Hesitantly grabbing my hair to move it aside to bare witness longer scars from whips down along my spine. But oddly it wasn't the scars that had me so disgraceful, but the black ink the was imbedded in my skin. Two long black feather tattoos flowed up and down my back, mirroring each other along my spine. My shirt had barely been enough to hide it.

"It looks like a butterfly!" Luido exclaimed with fascination before I heard his voice muffle. Quickly, I pulled the cloak back up to hide. When I turned I saw that Zenith had shoved another banana into Luido's mouth to shut him up. He looked upset at the motion, chewing reluctantly around the mouthful of fruit. "It looks pretty," he finally managed with a food stuffed smile. Dancing away before Zenith could grab him to join Cinna in more treasure hunting.

"That's not a seal?" Zenith asked cautiously, aware of the sensitiveness of the subject.

I shook my head. "I got this when I was…_bought_," I paused, tasting the word like poison. "It's a mark of ownership. Property."

"Of Julius," Zan's voice stated.

I snapped my head in his direction and I took in a deep breath. Slowly, I nodded. "I have been bartered and used, tortured, broken, by hundreds of bloodthirsty demons. But I would take all of them if I didn't have to be owned by-_him_." Unconsciously my mouth refused to say his name, like it was a bad omen, but also because I was never allowed unless given permission. Seemed old habits died hard.

This must have shocked both of them because instead of asking more questions, they were stunned to silence. Zan walked around trying to act unfazed, but I could tell he was distracted finally stood still and just stared off at nothing. Zenith didn't look at me, he just stared at the fire pit. It was just as well, I felt exasperated and nervous having let out that much.

Luido suddenly jumped in front of me with a large smile on his face. "I found you something," he chimed happily. Holding up a small bag with something that clinked around inside.

"What?" I asked, my focus coming back to me.

Still with a wide grin, he opened it and pulled out a round crystal looking ball the size of a marble. Holding it out to me expectantly like I was supposed to jump for joy about it.

"What is it?" I inspected the semi-clear sphere skeptically, taking it between my fingers. When I tried to roll it, sticky residue remained stuck to my finger from it.

"Candied sugar," he replied like he'd discovered a whole other world.

Immediately I dropped it. Wiping what was on my fingers onto my pants with disgust. When I looked up I saw Luido's expression had turned heartbroken. Instantly I tried to smile in apology to make light of the situation. "Sorry, I don't like anything sweet."

Almost as soon as the words came out I heard laughter so loud I was stunned. Turning to see Zan bending over with a wide smile across his face, holding his stomach as musical laughter flowed from his lungs. I stared at him in astonishment. Confused yet amazed and intrigued at the same time. I didn't understand why it was so funny, but felt an odd satisfaction that made me want to laugh too. I turned to see Zenith shaking his head and grinned just the same before he offered me some dry jerky Luido had given him.

"What?" I asked with slight frustration, taking the meat. Once the succulent taste splashed across my tongue, my stomach growled and I ate it as quickly as I could in reaction. It had been years since I had eaten meat, it tasted like a feast and was more filling than bread and cheese.

"I'll explain later," he replied mischievously. Extending a hand out for me to take. "Let's go find the others."

I stared at him suspiciously, glancing back at a slowly calming Zan who was wiping his eyes from laughing so hard. I couldn't deny, even with no memories behind that locked door, that there was something about these demons. Something about Luido and the way he was such an optimist despite all the pessimism. Something about Zan and the way he laughed, but seemed to hold all the pain in the world. Something about Zenith and the way he looked at me like he'd never see me again.

There was no more hidden locks anywhere in my mind, but even with this evidence I couldn't help but feel I needed to understand something. Needed to find something that was never there to begin with. So finally without any disapproving thoughts, I took Zenith's hand, no longer denying that the heat of it that melted away the cold in my fingers made me feel a little light in my stomach.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16 - Secrets & Lies**

"How long have we been walking?" Luido complained. Dragging his feet like a child throwing a fit while carrying Cinna on his back.

"A few hours," I replied without looking at him. I walked blindly in the direction the biker had pointed us. Honestly I didn't have much hope, but for Cinna's sake I would try to find the others.

"The scenery hasn't even changed. It feels like I've seen that rock before…" Zenith stated jokingly. The stony landscape spread far and vast so there was no telling where it would end.

"Probably have," I said seriously. "If I had the watch I'd know for sure."

"What does the watch do?" Zan asked curiously.

I glanced at him, I couldn't help it. "Watches are rare in this world. They are sensitive and follow the flow of time here rather than consistently circling. If time is flowing normally, the watch with flow normally. If time is flowing backward, then the watch turns in reverse. The speed of time is effected too, fast, slow, normal. If it is circling into itself, then the watch doesn't move. Meaning you keep walking but go nowhere, like we most likely are."

"So how do we get out of it?" Zenith asked, stopping since walking was probably be pointless right then.

I shrugged. "Time does what it wants to here. It's regulated like a dream and can't be controlled. So we just have to wait until the repetitive flow disappears or moves somewhere else, which could be a while. Me and the others were stuck in one for a week once."

"Then what happens when the watch goes off?" asked Zan.

"The days change," I explained. "Too fast for the watch to keep up with. Time ripples and the ripples change the scene. Though if you stand as still as you can, sometimes you can't be effected by it."

"Like when we were in the desert then in the caves," he pointed out. I nodded.

"Well that explains why we were always popping from one place to another and constantly going nowhere before," Zenith said laughing to Zan.

"Sometimes when time flows quicker forward, but not enough to make the world shift, or when it's flowing backward, you can come across yourself," I pointed out. "Even though it was at a distance, the girls and I have seen ourselves in the past traveling, though we've never seen ourselves in the future."

"Eh, you're confusing me," Luido complained, scrunching is eyes together like he was getting a headache.

Zenith patted his head like a puppy. "You're always confused, that's why you fit in this world so well."

Luido growled and whined like a child. "And how come I'm the one carrying the food? I already have Cinna to take care of."

"Eh, aren't you the pack mule?"

I smiled slightly at them before I turned around to start walking again. They followed without question, Luido and Zenith bickering back and forth behind me like siblings.

The more we walked, the more our surroundings finally began to change. This time for the especially strange. The stone land suddenly merged into a checkered background. As we walked into it, some might think it looked like we were walking across a decorative piece of paper since there was no visible floor to walk on.

"What is this?" Luido asked with wonder. I took it as a rhetorical question since even I couldn't answer it properly. He moved around and reached to touch a black square that seemed to be right next to him, but when his hand looked like it was going to make contact the square looked like it was a few more feet away. Against him, Cinna stirred and opened sleepy eyes. Rubbing them absently and yawning.

"What a strange place," Zenith mused, walking with his hands behind his head and looking around with an easygoing smile. Beside him Zan's face was solemn and unreadable, though he looked a little higher in spirit somehow as he examined the place.

The strange surroundings didn't last long though before we stepped from it onto a more grassy, solid, landscape once more. The grass wasn't thick, it sprinkled across sandy ground. The air wasn't so dry here either and made me guess there was water somewhere nearby. Trees grew in the far distance and I had the sudden urge to run to them.

"What's that?" Luido asked, pointing at something in the opposite direction. Cinna looked curious too and pushed herself up so her hands were on his head and she was almost standing on his shoulders as she peered off.

A few miles away a building stood in the middle of nowhere. Sitting like an abandoned hotel on the side of a highway. But it's windows were lit up with light to give a living presence away. We started toward it and as we neared I started to get a faint ill feeling. The closer we got, the harder it was to not turn and hightail it away from there. It looked like a gift shop of some sort and considerably large. Pale blue paint was chipping from the wood and one of the windows was broken. Dust covered the porch leading up to the door. But I stopped when I saw ruts of tires in the ground from peeling away.

"This place stinks," Zan stated quietly with profound distaste and…anger? I glanced at him, I couldn't smell anything, but didn't doubt his word.

Taking a deep breath, I marched up the porch and opened the door without so much as a knock. Though there really was no need. A small bell chimed when I walked inside. There were a few racks and shelves with clothes on them. But mostly dusty books lined the walls like a library of some sort.

I moved quickly toward the clothes, finding another pair of pants and tank-top to replace my shredded one. I glanced at the others who were perusing the shelves and quickly pulled off my boots and replaced my ripped pants then threw off Zenith's cloak and took what remained of my shirt off before pulling the new on as quickly as I could. I started further down the clothes cautiously, looking for another pair of combat boots when I heard footsteps in front of me.

"Welcome!" a voice chimed like the bell. A man appeared from farther down the room rounding a bookcase with his hand raised.

I turned and froze where I stood when I saw him. He stopped mid-step as well as soon as he caught sight of me. A look of dread covered his face instantly and he glanced around to see the others watching him. He wore glasses that made him look like a librarian, but his worn clothes didn't state refinement even though he had completely new clothes that I had gone through.

"Shawn," I gasped.

"You know him?" Zenith asked, adjusting his cloak that I had so carelessly left on the ground. He sounded oddly irritated at the sight of the human man.

"I-" I glanced at him cautiously. "I saved him when the others and I escaped."

"Ah, guess I don't get to kill him then," he mumbled boredly, turning away to go down an aisle of books. The words shouldn't have shocked me, but they did. I hadn't expected to hear such hostility coming from Zenith. It seemed so out of character from what I knew of him.

Quickly, Shawn scrambled closer to me. "Are you alright?" he whispered cautiously.

I nodded. ""They saved my life. They're good demons," I replied just as quietly though I didn't know why. The words felt funny coming from my mouth. "What are you doing here?"

Shawn grabbed my hand and pushed me toward the entrance, which I found odd. "After we split up I found this place and opened up a business for any bounty hunters." He put his hands up even though he couldn't see my eyes glaring at him. "Don't get my wrong, Xeno, I hate the guys just as much as you do, but it's the only way I can get by. They trade with me and don't give demon's the hint that I'm a runaway. Look, Xeno, I'm sorry, but there have been hunters sent out by Julius especially to capture you. You need to get out of here quick before any show up. Rumor has it that Julius has gone insane trying to find you." He glanced around suspiciously and I noticed beads of sweat along his forehead as he watched Zan disappear down the store and Luido happily reading to Cinna a story about dragons.

I watched Shawn closely, his messy brown hair becoming too moist for comfort. Glasses sliding lower on his nose. "Speaking of hunters. Bliss and Honey were caught. If you do business with them I wonder if you've seen them."

He looked surprised, but shook his head a little too frantically. "No I haven't seen them." Glancing apprehensively behind him toward the back of the store. That was all it took.

I pushed passed him and walked further toward the back. A glass counter was there with a wooden door behind it. Before I reached it though, Shawn grabbed my arm. "Seriously, Xeno, you need to leave."

Shaking my head solemnly, I sighed. "Where did you get all the clothes from?" I asked. "Hunters never find anything in shape like them. And there's nothing here that would be worth not selling you out. So what are you hiding Shawn?" I looked back at him to see a terrified look on his face. Shaking my head, I scoffed. "You never could keep a secret. And you were always a horrible liar."


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 - To Be Or Not To Be**

Pulling from Shawn's grasp, I hopped over the counter and pulled open the door, expecting to see something, anything, but a stone wall. I pressed my hand against it, but nothing happened. Even pressing my full body weight against it and it still wouldn't budge. Confused, I turned back to Shawn, who still looked uncomfortable with me being back there.

"S-see, nothing," he said a little breathless.

"If it's nothing, why do you look so edgy?" I asked. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing," he repeated, a little more confidently, walking behind the counter toward me.

"Mind if I take a crack at it?" We both turned to see Zenith coming toward us, Zan behind him seemingly uninterested in anything this place had to offer.

Shawn froze and moved slowly to stand behind me like a defensive wall. I found it slightly unnerving, but it would have been expected from him, he was always a coward.

Zenith came around the counter and ran his fingers along the underside of it. But he didn't seem to have found what he was looking for. He pursed his lips, his once black eyes now threateningly red as he turned to glare at Shawn. "Where's the switch?"

"T-there's no switch," Shawn stuttered fearfully, trying to fit his extra six inches behind me like he'd disappear if successful.

"There's always a switch," Zan stated, peering into the glass case at something that finally seemed to catch his attention. Zenith turned to him curiously, looking down the see some sort of object I'd never seen before. It was blue, from what I could decipher, and made of wood with four strings. It wasn't large, nearly a foot and a half long with a skinny neck that scrolled at the end. I found it pretty and eye-catching.

Zan seemed to know it though, coming around and sliding open the case and pulling it out carefully. He held it in both hands, staring at it like something important. His fingers ran along the strings and I could hear faint vibrations emanating from it. A faint smile crept at the corner of his mouth, holding a secret I wanted to know. Then, placing his left hand on the thin neck and pressing the strings down in certain places with skillful fingers, he strummed them with his thumb, making melodic notes sound like doom.

Shawn gripped my arm hard, but didn't reach out from behind me even to stop Zan. "No, don't!" But it was too late, the stone behind the door rumbled like there was going to be an earthquake. It wavered like water and dissolved into black smoke that swirled like an unwelcoming gate. Finally, I could smell something sour and distasteful that I'd never wanted to smell again. Sweet scents and fire mixed with the subtle tang of sex.

Zan sat the instrument down on top of the glass a little forlornly. "You should learn how to play sometime. Playing only a few notes shows on the strings."

Zenith smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "Well then, shall we?"

I went to take a step forward before Shawn jumped in front of me to block any further advance. "Xeno you have to listen to me, please," he begged, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me as if it'd make me obey.

"Enough! Let me pass," I growled, shoving him to the side into the counter and angrily stomping toward the smokescreen doorway.

"If you pass through that door, Julius will catcher you faster than you can take a breath."

I stopped, fear gripping my insides like icy cold fingers with sharp nails that wanted to tear my being apart. Turning back to him I asked once more, "What is behind this door Shawn?"

He gulped and repositioned himself to lean against the counter in defeat. "It leads back to the House," he replied solemnly. I felt my body freeze even more than it already had. "When the world shifted and we were split up I was caught by a demon and taken to Julius. He said he'd grant me my freedom if I worked for him trafficking other runaways, but I knew it was you he was looking for especially. Thinking you might try to look for me, even though I knew you wouldn't to keep yourself and the others safe. That's why you have to leave now, Julius has demons coming to check me every few hours and the longer you're here that more dangerous it is for the both of us."

"What happened to Bliss and Honey? I know they were here, were they sold again?"

Shawn went still and looked at the ground. "They came in a few days ago and were taken back as soon as they walked through the door."

"And you didn't think to save them? To save Honey? For Hell's sake you have goddamn weapons here that you trade with the hunters, you could have gotten them out!" I yelled at him furiously.

"Don't you think I wanted to? But how could I stand up to demons that can't die by normal means? And fight with four to one odds against hunters?" he shot back with a quiver of sadness in his voice. Taking off his glasses and rubbing his hand against his face, he sighed. "Bliss told me if you showed up to get you away. That they were only a distraction slowing you down. They'd be alright."

"She said that?" I managed to whisper, feeling a sadness that she'd known what I had thought of them. But how could I really think that? If I came all this way just to rescue them?

"She said not to tell you they came here, but it doesn't seem to matter. You couldn't save them anyway." Shawn's words cut into me like knives, revealing only horrible truth. In silence I turned and began to walk vacantly toward the shop entrance.

"Where are you going?" Zan asked as little confused.

Grabbing a shorter pair of boots that only came to the middle of my shins instead of my knees and pulling them on, I turned back to look at him blankly. "I can't go back there. I'm not meant to save anyone. I have to keep running. I'll die if Julius finds me."

"He won't get you," Zenith stated firmly. "We'll protect you and save the others." Turning to Zan he said, "Get Xeno, Luido, and Cinna as far from here as you can. I'll get Bliss and Honey and meet up with you.

At that I scoffed with half a laugh that was so dry I could taste it in my mouth. "You can't be serious. Julius will kill you when he catches my scent around you. It's useless to even try playing hero," I stated, hearing the own heartlessness in my words while my chest pounded and hurt at the thought of Zenith facing off against Julius.

He smiled at me like it was no big deal. "Don't worry Fearless, you can reward me when I get back." Before I could even say another word in protest or even Zan could express his thoughts, Zenith was through the door and enveloped by the smoke before it turned back into stone.

Something inside me seemed to break as fear began to give rise to panic as soon as he was out of my sight. I couldn't understand it, but I ran toward the door, slamming against the stone with my fist as if it would break on contact. I felt an emptiness, like a glass without water.

"Don't worry about him," Zan said coming up behind me and setting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "He's always done whatever he wants without much of a care for anything else, even though it's _because_ he cares. He'll be alright."

"How do you know?" I asked, my voice emotionless and echoing in my ears.

Zan smirked. "Because he's an idiot. And idiots always survive in ridiculous ways."

I glanced at Zan trying to read his face. If he was worried at all about Zenith, he didn't show it. "Come on," he said. "We need to get out of here. We'll see the others soon enough. Zenith hasn't broken a promise yet."

Taking my hand gently in his, he pulled me away and toward the front door. Signaling Luido to follow, Cinna carrying the book he had been reading to her as she followed suit. Ushering both outside while I stood at the door for a moment, my hand still in Zan's as he waited for me to come.

Then I glanced back to see Shawn standing a few feet away by the book cases. "It may have been just a fling to you, or maybe it was sincere, but I think you should know. Honey loves your child." With that, I closed the door behind me along with the haunting shadows of the little shop. Now feeling only dread as we made footprints across a desert landscape.


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 - Prelude To A Scream**

_**Zenith - Third Person**_

The moment he stepped though the door, the smile on his face vanished. Strong scents of demons filled the air and he couldn't be the easygoing man he usually was. If all these demons were sealed, they were undoubtedly evil and Zenith had to put on his don't-fuck-with-me face.

He stood in a small room that looked like a foyer. A man, demon, sat behind desk like a clerk. Another that was a little larger, stood like a bouncer near the door just behind the desk. Both looked at him critically as soon as he was through the smoke door that disappeared immediately to leave him stuck in a stone room. Immediately malice crowded around him put off from the two demons. They were strong, he allowed, but Zenith wasn't deterred at all, even with the air of inferiority they tried to bestow on him he sensed they were still lower class. Both, though, looked a few years older physically and might have been older in reality.

"I've never seen the likes of you before," the smaller demon stated with a demeaning tone. Black round glasses sat across the bridge of his nose, his brown hair neatly combed and wearing a suit that made him look like a butler or a host at some expensive restaurant. Beady red eyes assessing Zenith like a fresh piece of meat.

"Bad timing for you then," Zenith stated with superior malevolence dripping from his voice, stepping forward toward the doorway the other demon was blocking like he owned the place.

"Hold it, where do you think you're going?" The bouncer stepped in front of the door, fully blocking it from view. His red eyes holding scrutiny and dominion just because of the few inches he had on Zenith's six foot three.

Zenith glared at him like he was a mere insect. "I'd think it obvious, or are your brains too small for that body of yours to figure it out?"

If there was ever one thing to do to make a demon mad it was to insult them. It worked like a charm as the demon growled and without thinking before acting like Zenith guessed he wouldn't, he swung a clawed fist toward Zenith's head. This type of demon he had never come across, but even so their manner and instinct were all the same.

Ducking from the strike in one smooth motion, Zenith grabbed the swinging arm with both hands and without much effort lifted the man over his head, slamming him hard enough on the desk that the legs snapped out from under it. One of the legs piercing through the demons shoulder, making him cry out as blood seeped around it. Just for a mere second before he hit the table, Zenith spied a black mark that looked like a tattoo of a swirl on the back of his neck. Sealed. Like they all were.

"Hold it!" the other demon yelled, taking off his glasses and holding up his hands trying to reason. "There's no need to get violent. We're all civilized demons here."

And by civilized meaning demons tearing at each other's throats until they submitted to the other's authority. On that note, Zenith left the breath taken demon lying on the table and in a blink had the other by his throat and against the wall. In his hand the man's neck was so thin and pliable that a darker side of Zenith wondered if this demon had the ability to heal from the bone snapping damage he could enforce. Demon's couldn't die by normal means, such as human force, unless by something ethereal, but demon verses demon was just the same as a human fighting human. Judging by the way the whites of this one's eyes showed Zenith was most definitely the alpha here.

"Then let's be civilized," he hissed, barely able to reign in the newfound blood thirst that he'd been able to maintain so well the past hundred years.

Letting the anger and darkness that he was born for leak out even a tiny increment and Zenith's head was filling with thoughts of sadistic ways to torment these demons just for the fun of it. Killing zombies with Xeno was one thing, knowing she was there helped to keep him in check. Because she didn't trust demons and he wanted her trust in him, but knowing she couldn't see him now just made unleashing his full demon heritage that much more tempting.

"I'm looking for two woman that had been captured recently. They were in my custody and were taken without permission," Zenith bit out at the man, releasing his neck and letting his body crumble in a coughing heap on the floor. "I was told they were here, you may have seen them come through this exact door."

Rubbing his neck tender, the smaller demon stood cautiously. Meeting gazes with Zenith with a less hostile look. The red in them not as bright and threatening as before. "Then you'd best go back to where to came from," he croaked, voice thick. Wandering over to the other demon that was having trouble taking the desk leg out of his body and pulling it out without any tender care while doing it. Almost immediately the gaping wound healed up. "Not that you have to leave, but you won't be getting them back any time soon."

"And why is that?"

Heaving a sigh, the demon picked up his glasses from the floor and returned them to the bridge of his nose. "Obviously you haven't been here before," he said, nodding his head toward the door Zenith had been trying to traverse. "The demon that rules here, Julius, has taken all the slaves and kills any who come near them. He won't give any back until Butterfly is found and returned to him."

At the sound of Xeno's slave name, Zenith inwardly tensed but kept himself composed enough so the other's didn't notice. "Why is that slave so important?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent about the matter.

With a scoff and roll of his eyes the demon said, "Ever since he found that girl he's been hung up on her for reasons only he could know."

"Where is he?" Zenith asked, feeling a sudden rush of anger and a possessiveness that startled him. Mixing with his earlier bloodlust and his mind began to fog out all reason. While he was here why couldn't he just take care of the source of all their problems? Getting rid of Julius would set Xeno free and he'd take Bliss and Honey back, maybe even set himself atop the dictatorship they all seemed to run by here and set all the slaves free. It was such a simple solution.

Glasses laughed dryly and skeptically. "Boy, you don't want to mess with Julius. He'll crush you before you even have a chance to blink."

"I'll take my chances," he said with arrogant confidence a few seconds before a voice slid like a snake through the room.

"Someone say my name?" The voice was smooth and a little overly friendly to the point you knew you couldn't trust the user. The two demons froze, standing straight and bowing with respect, but fear wafted off them like perfume. It set Zenith instantly on edge as he turned around toward the door. "The smell of blood calls for me yet my name is also heard on undeserving lips."

Coming face to face with a man with eyes that were red and full of blood-shedding visions. His hair was a little longer than Zenith's and spiked out every which way. Parts of it were blond with thick streaks of black running through the strands. His face was chiseled, not completely masculine, but a little more than Zenith's face. Perhaps it was the fine shadow of a beard that lined his sharp jaws that made him appear more refined and dangerous. Wearing dark red robes of a king only added in giving off the air of dominance. Around his both wrists and his neck, Zenith spied black markings that looked acutely close to the feather tattoos on Xeno's back, but not in the shape of a butterfly like hers were. He was the same height as Zenith and even the same lean build that told him muscle wasn't his forte of power.

What confused Zenith, though, was that he couldn't gauge his power at all. Any demon, no matter how weak, had some strength others could sense, but there was none around him, which made Zenith's sudden bloodlust shrink back a bit so he was more cautious about his actions. He couldn't even tell what kind of demon he was. This was Julius, feared by even other demons, after all.

Glasses spoke first, "Yes, Master, this demon here was looking for you." His voice was quiet, scheming, as he threw Zenith to the demon before him. Eager that both would leave so they wouldn't be caught in the middle if anything happened.

A vicious smile curled on Julius's lips as he stared Zenith down. "Ah, so you're the one," he crooned knowingly, extending his hand invitingly toward Zenith. "Come with me."

Taking cautious measures and trying to calm his instinct to lay waste to Julius right there, Zenith stepped through the door. Turning to look back to see Julius following him with blood staining his hands, licking them off as if it were nothing, leaving behind the two demons that were lying on the floor lifeless in a pool of blood. Zenith tried to keep his composure as his mind raced with shock. Only within a second they were dead and he hadn't even heard or sensed movement from Julius. What in Hell was he?

"Follow me," Julius said, as an order that's arrogance made Zenith want to disobey, but he followed anyway. Peaked by his own curiosity as well as vigilance.

The hall was the same red color as Julius's clothing. Doors along the wall every hundred feet. The scent of candles and fire mixed with that of blood, human blood, as well as sex more prominently here than before. It filled the air and there was no freedom from it. Sounds of crying and sometimes a scream triggered something in Zenith that made him want to hear more of it. But he shook his head at the thought, trying to think straight as he followed Julius into a large room with a bed covered by silken red sheets and…

He stopped suddenly when he caught sight of all the naked women that lay on the floor and on the bed. Some sleeping, others crying silently. None made a sound of a move when the demons came through the door. Some had chains around their wrists, ankles, and necks. Bruises covered many parts of their bodies, blood dried around slow healing scars. Was this what Xeno had been subjected to? All her scars and pained expressions when showing them flashed in his mind.

Julius strolled across the room like it was completely normal to have woman lying close to death's door situated everywhere. Not a care in the world as he turned and fell onto a couch that four women curled on. Grabbing a chain attached to a cuff on one girl's wrist, Julius pulled her to sit on his lap. She did so without fighting, submissive like a doll. Tilting her head back, fangs extended from the canines of Julius's open mouth. In one fluid motion he had them buried in the jugular of the girl's neck and her eyes widened in pain as a few tears leaked out, but she didn't make a sound. Blood dripped down her chest and after a minute, he pulled back with a lick of his lips. Smiling at Zenith as if he'd just put on quite the show.

"You reek," he finally said, stretching out his legs. The girl leaning her head against his shoulder utterly exhausted from blood loss. "So tell me, _Zenith_, how is my Butterfly doing?"


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 - Deals Made In Hell**

"How do you know my name?" Zenith asked, trying not to sound a little unnerved at the feeling he might actually be steps behind in this little game. It was a little hard to not to seem stunned or taken aback by the scenery laying out around him.

At that, the mocking smile on Julius's face vanished, replaced by a scowl that could kill. His red eyes narrowed in a glare, like a child who had just been told something he didn't want to do. "Now don't try to change the subject," he growled with annoyance, a superior tone in his voice. "Don't deny you don't know anything about her either. Butterfly's scent wafts off of you like the scent of blood in my nose."

He stood leisurely, pushing off the girl from his lap. She moved slowly, skin noticeably paler against another girl on the couch she curled up against for security. Julius sauntered with a haughty look on his face, coming to stand face to face with Zenith. Looking him up and down like an inferior opposition not worthy of even being a rival.

"But at least I can't smell _her_ on you." He smirked. "You should count yourself lucky, it's one of only a few things that is keeping me from killing you right now."

Zenith took a deep breath, not liking the fact that he was being threatened so outright. But he managed to maintain a fraction of nonchalance, though he could feel himself slipping with his control and he felt Julius could tell because the look in his eyes never lost their challenge against him.

"What else stops you?" Zenith got out.

At that Julius took a step back looking away at something that was far in the distance and a small smile appeared that actually seemed genuine, making him look somehow normal, but it was gone as quick as it came when he looked back at Zenith. "Having you around is both an annoyance and a favor," he explained casually, walking around the room and gazing at the women like they were mere decorations.

Kneeling down, he took one tired looking woman by the chin with his fingers and lifted her face to his. She followed every suggestion of his fingers and movements without question. Opening her eyes, something seemed to take over her. A smile spread across her face seductively, her arms reached up and wrapped around Julius's neck to pull him closer. Licking her lips suggestively but not doing anything. Julius glanced up at Zenith boredly.

"You see, Butterfly is a such a special woman. Unlike some girls here, she didn't voluntarily want for me, nor did she submit to me." Standing, he pulled away from the girl and she reached longingly after him but made no move to follow. "She is a fighter, always has been. Even being blind, she didn't allow for it to hold her back. But slowly I could feel her presence, her mind's eye, her…" he paused trying to come up with the right word. "_Awareness_ of me beginning to drift." Slowly he paced the room like some kind of scenery to behold and take in every moment of. "It was as if she was finally going to give up, surrender herself like every woman here, but I couldn't let her. She was too precious. Held too much promise." Clenching his fist, he held it to his heart, looking as if he were reciting some kind of old-fashioned play like Shakespeare.

"I had it in mind," he continued. "A plan to make her open her eyes. To see me clearly once more." Julius stopped and chuckled lowly for a brief second. "And then _he_ came."

"Who?"

"That man who disappears like smoke in the darkness," Julius growled, not seeming to hear Zenith as he carried on with his theatrical story. "He helped her escape along with a few other lower slaves." Glancing at Zenith he smiled sadistically then. "But it wasn't for naught, I realized. Allowing her to run free on a leash has made her mind awaken once more. Your presence only opens her more. I must say, hunting her down the past seven years has been an enjoyment. She is special so I cannot track her like everything else." Smile disappearing then. "But her freedom must come to an end. She must return to me. So I will ask you once at the bargain of your life, where is she?" Red eyes glared daggers and fierce possessiveness at Zenith.

"Why is she of such value?" Zenith asked instead. "Surely there are other women here like her." Though everything in him called to attack, Zenith grasped for sanity to stay in power. If Julius was stronger, he wouldn't tell him where to find Xeno anyway.

Julius's red eyes narrowed and his mouth thinned in annoyance at his question being brushed aside. But he took a breath and composed himself, that genuine smile tugging once again on the corners of his lips faintly. "Tell me, Zenith," he crooned with poison on his name. "Have you ever seen Darkness? Her personification?" Zenith tilted his head inquisitively. "Before I was sealed from my world, I loved her with all my being. Meant to love her to times indefinite. My kind are created in pairs, you see. True Vampires, that is. Though only one can exist at a time, she defied it. Because of her I existed, her darkness flowed through my veins like fire and I never felt more alive. But my love was so much for her that she could not return my feelings. I was convinced she only needed time.

"I made her offerings. Killed so many just for her. But when I began my quest to offer her Light's blood and the world on a silver platter, she sealed me!" Pointing angrily at the feathers around his neck and flashing the black marks around his wrists as well. "Cursed me to live in this world with a damned Angel's Bind," he growled, lashing out at the nearest wall few feet longer than his arm length away and causing it to splinter and crumble from an invisible force. The girls all flinched and huddled together for protection. Calming himself, Julius ran a hand through his hair. "I happened upon a girl wandering aimlessly across the plains. Not a care in the world nor a fear that she couldn't see where she was going. I realized as I got closer, some features different, but this was Darkness in a form that could exist here. A form that existed for me as reconciliation for my long unreciprocated love and for sealing me."

This man truly was evil. Zenith had never known a vampire like him, but something about it was familiar in his mind. If what he said was truth, even Darkness, the source of nearly all evil itself, had cast him out. He was deranged, making him all the more dangerous. Caught with Angel's Bind, a seal Zenith had never heard of, but sounding more powerful than the Angel's Promise.

Turning to finally unleash an evil aura as he stared at Zenith, his red eyes glowed brighter. "Butterfly belongs to me," Julius growled. "And you, who somehow occupied her every thought instead of me, will give her back."

The anger, the dare of the demon within had started to rise and boil forth, slipping through Zenith's grasp. However, at the last line it all seemed to snap back into place in such a rush, he had to catch his breath. Staring at Julius in confusion, he asked, "Me?" His heart fluttered a bit at the thought and his spirits became a little light.

Julius scoffed, seeming a little put off at the sudden lack of intensity Zenith had no doubt been challenging him with and had been feeding off of. The anger altogether nearly dissipated and calm settled over Julius to make him seem pleasant like before. Seeming like he also had to control himself, but took delight when he let himself go unlike Zenith did.

"You and another demon that shares her scent," he spat with annoyance. Then as if a spark ignited in his mind, Julius smiled tauntingly. "Why Zenith, you do know her then?" Julius threw his head back in a loud laugh. "Don't you wish you had found her first? But _you_ aren't even supposed to be in this world. Coming here without being sealed. Did you plan on playing hero and stealing her from me? But she doesn't remember you at all. Every corner of her mind gone without you."

It came like an explosion. A rush of heat that filled Zenith's head. Before he could stop it the demon was released. In a flash faster than lightning Zenith had Julius by the throat and slammed into the wall so hard it was indented around him. The woman finally did cry out, moving away from the evil and anger that radiated from him. However, instead of feeding off of it, Julius had a smug smile on his face and kept his cool demeanor.

"What did you do to her?" Zenith roared, feeling the change beckoning for him to take. But he couldn't, he needed to be able to talk. Giving in at this moment would mean losing his sanity and he couldn't. Not when Xeno used to remember him.

Julius's smile widened further, teeth sharp, fangs slightly extended but not threatening to attack back. "What was it she called herself? Anna?" he mused. "Annie?" His throat vibrated against Zenith's hand as he chuckled evilly. "No… Anonymous."

Zenith's eyes widened and for a brief moment shock sliced through his brain at the sting of tears in his eyes. His grip loosened slightly and he lowered Julius to the floor. Anonymous. She really was her. Here and not dead. And she remembered him. Had she been looking for him too?

"I'll make you a deal," Julius murmured sadistically. Grabbing Zenith's hand and wrenching it off his neck. "For savior's sake, I'll allow you to take those two girls you came for. And I'll give Butterfly back her memories, but," he paused for emphasis, snapping his fingers and suddenly next to him appeared both Bliss and Honey, both unconscious. "Only if she tells you what she did to hate herself so much."

Zenith blinked in confusion, but before he could say another word Julius tapped the stone wall he'd crashed into and the smoky door appeared once more. "This will take you back," Julius said, turning to him with a malicious smile. "But you should know, I'm the only one who can love Butterfly even for what she did. And if she tells you, I will find her and finally kill you." With that, he was gone along with all the women except the two girls. Nowhere to be seen.

Bliss stirred slightly, opening her eyes slowly. But as if splashed with water she sat up straight. Ignoring the bruises and cuts that covered her naked form as if they weren't there at all. "Zenith?" she asked bewilderedly.

It took a moment for him to get his bearings, but her voice brought his sanity almost all the way back. He looked down at her and smiled. Kneeling down next to Honey, who awakened slowly, and cutting off the rope that tied her arms behind her back. "Don't worry, I'm here to take you back," he said, carefully lifting Honey's tired frail form in his arms. She curled against him and whimpered at some still open wounds.

"How? Julius wouldn't just let us walk out," Bliss argued, standing a little unstable but maintaining her balance.

"We made a deal." Was all Zenith said, grabbing Bliss gently by the arm and pulling her through the smoke door.

A deal with the devil, with a bittersweet ending.


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20 - Longing For The Lost**

Almost as soon as they stepped through the door, Zenith could feel the heat of his demonic side begin to fade. Leaving his body feeling a little shaky and weak, though he couldn't understand why. But he didn't show it, though it made him think about how Zan felt being separated from his soul. Even though Zenith didn't have one, he felt slightly empty when his other self disappeared.

They were back in the little shop. Nothing was different from when he had left, except the violin was back in the glass case like it was on display. Bliss immediately grabbed any clothes that she saw and pulled them on, slightly conscious of her naked form, though Zenith had the modesty not to look. However, the thought made him think of Xeno and how the sight of her naked back when she showed off her scars almost sent his calm demeanor over the edge and grab her and hold her to him and never let go and that was just the watered down version of things that were running through his head. But he knew even with all her airs of fearlessness and strength that she was truly delicate to break if he did anything without her consent.

"Oh my god, you're alive!" a voice exclaimed. Coming from around the bookcase, Shawn walked toward them apprehensively. The moment he caught sight of Honey in Zenith's arms though, made him race forward with disregard to his fear.

"Honey!" he whispered, examining her like he was a forlorn husband. Zenith's hunch was right, Shawn's scent was in Cinna just like Honey's.

"Get her some clothes, man," Zenith barked an order with annoyance. Feeling more irritable than normal and telling himself to calm down. Shawn stood straight and nodded, running around the store like a madman searching for any clothing that would fit her.

When he came running back, Zenith set Honey down gently onto the counter. Her eyes were open slightly but glazed over like she was somewhere else. At least she was conscious enough to sit up on her own, even if she was slumped. The wolf in Zenith wanted to whine for she looked like a puppy that had been kicked one too many times. While at the same moment howl in anger and rip apart everything he could get his jaws on, especially Julius.

Shawn carefully began to pull clothes over Honey's head, his hands unsteady but working as quickly as he could without injuring her. When she was fully clothed, he hugged her to him like she was going to die. "I thought I'd never see you again," Shawn whispered, voice shaky. "It's been months." He glanced at Zenith. "I thought you were dead after the first week."

Zenith looked at him puzzled. "What are you talking about? I just barely walked through the door an hour ago at least."

"That's how it works," Bliss said. "This world. How time works." She came around a corner dressed in a baggy shirt and pants. Her hair still a mess but styled that way instead of forced. Her once soft face was stiff, her eyes were hard as she glared at Zenith. "What kind of deal did you make with him? No one gets away from Julius so easily."

"But you did," he retorted, recalling his deal with Julius.

Bliss's eyes narrowed further. "I _escaped_. And it was far from easy. If it hadn't been for Xeno I would have wasted away, probably would have been dead if it wasn't for her. Hell Raven was caught and already pregnant and _dead_ by the time we were caught. But we all escaped before without having to make deals with the devil. What did you bargain with him?"

A bell chimed in Zenith's head. "What's Xeno's secret?" he asked, feeling a slight flash of hope that if Bliss knew then maybe Xeno wouldn't be able to be hunted down. What could she possibly have done that would be so bad?

Bliss looked at him irritated and scoffed, throwing up her hands and shaking her head. "I don't know. She has lots of secrets, many of which are probably best not told. What does that have to do with anything?" She walked over to Honey, setting her hand against her forehead tenderly.

Zenith's hope deflated instantly. "Just part of the deal," he mumbled.

Bliss stood erect then and stared at him. "Part of the deal?" she asked skeptically. "Listen to me, Zenith, if whatever deal you made with Julius has to do with Xeno's secrets and can keep her safe without you having to know, then don't ask her. Just forget about it, okay?" She shook her head. "I can't believe you'd leave her in the first place just to rescue us." Zenith glanced at her and she rolled her eyes tiredly. "I've seen how you look at her. Demons look at us with an evil glint I've seen all my life. Except Zan and Luido look at her like they've known her their whole lives, but you can't keep your eyes off of her like she's going to disappear. Who exactly is she to you?"

Zenith hesitated. "She is…"

_**Xeno - First Person**_

It seemed like forever to me, though I kept telling myself not to care. Zan, Luido, Cinna, and I had traveled through five changes in time. What I counted in days to be seven months since they'd left Zenith at the shop could have been years, but I didn't have a clock to keep. When he hadn't come back after the first few days I just knew that he was dead. My heart ached at the thought and at times I felt like crying, but I didn't. I forced myself to remember I had told him that he wouldn't make it. Told him it was useless to play hero in this world. What did he really think he'd accomplish? But if he was dead, why did I keep track of the days hoping he'd come back?

For a while we all just kept walking. Between the four of us, Luido and Cinna were the only ones that made much noise. Laughs and squeals combined with running around in circles like chickens with their heads cut off. But I supposed it was better than be stuck in silence. I thought I'd prefer it, but during the rare moments the two loudmouths were quiet I found the silence deafening and scarier more than comforting. Zan was still as quiet as usual unless goaded into talking and being forced into playing around with the others. When he was I could tell somewhere inside him there used to be a little boy that was just as rambunctious as Cinna was. What happened to him? I wondered.

After the first three time changes we ended up in a forested area. Zan said he couldn't sense any demons or surprisingly any old demon presences, as if demons didn't exist there at all. Deciding it was the safest place to stay, whenever a time change came we held as still as we could so we weren't swept away to another place. A river ran along a few miles away into a lake, so at least our thirst was quenched and with the stolen goods from the bikers it was like we were on a camping trip.

I sat with my knees against my chest staring blankly into the sparkling blue fire Zan had made. Luido and Cinna were already fast asleep and Zan was making a final patrol of the area.

"You should get some rest." I looked up to see him returning from the dark forest edge like a ghost. His skin was paler in the firelight, but it made his eyes glow. That was usually the extend of our conversations. His doting concerns for us all, instructions, opinions and orders, but never an actual conversation.

"If Zenith was alive," I whispered quietly, making Zan stop halfway to check on the two snoring bodies that I envied for not having nightmares behind closed lids. "How would he find us?"

Zan leaned down, pulling a blanked over them before coming to sit next to me. I noticed he tried to stay as close as possible unless he needed to do something elsewhere. "Zenith has his ways, don't worry."

I huffed, never a straight answer. I guessed he wasn't too sure either. Finally, things that nagged at me from the beginning burst from my lips before I could think to stop them. "Before when we met you, Luido said I looked like your sister. Zenith said I did too." I leaned back slightly and pulled out the hourglass Zan had given me, dangling it between my fingers. "Is that why you gave me this?"

Zan glanced at it then stared back at the fire. "I know you don't remember anything, but I don't think that you looking and acting like her is just a coincidence. But I guess that's just hopeful thinking. When I gave you the hourglass I wanted to make sure you'd be safe. My sister was a half demon like me, but you aren't so you get hurt more easily. It's a good think I did too, you broke your back when we got split up at the cave. Luckily it transferred to me 'cause you would have died." He paused for a second. "I was also hoping it might help you remember something about us. About me." He sounded a little lost, but tried to hide it behind a faint smile. "It's alright if you don't. Anonymous lived her life the way she wanted, I wouldn't want to push it on you."

I felt myself about to tear up, but held them back. "I'm sorry I can't remember anything. Believe me, ever since I saw you I've been trying but its all just blank." I pulled the chain of the hourglass from around my neck, holding it out to him as he watched me carefully. "Thank you for this, but you should take it back."

Zan looked surprised. "Keep it, it'll keep you safe."

I shook my head. "I think if I were your sister, I wouldn't want my pain to become yours. Besides you look tired without it to keep your strength up, if anything were to happen to you because you're too weak I don't think I could live with myself."

He stared at me for a while before his large cold hand closed around mine. "If I sense anything remotely dangerous to you, you have to take it back. Understand?" he asked, eyes serious as they somehow stared into mine.

I swallowed and nodded weakly. Zan nodded back before slipping the chain from my hand so the hourglass fell into his palm. Then, with a little wince, he pressed it against his chest where his heart was. The bright light that had shined before began again as he pushed against his chest. After a few seconds it ceased and Zan opened his eyes. They glowed like the stars and with more energy than he'd had before. Suddenly his skin looked like it actually had some color.

He gasped and shuddered before chuckling to himself. "One thing I know now, your soul is definitely the same as my sisters."


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 - Selfishness**

"'But before it could reach her, the great dragon-'" Luido paused, reading a few lines more of the story he'd taken from Shawn's shop that he'd been reading for Cinna's enjoyment while Zan and I were just glad that for noise that would make time pass a little easier without having to come up with conversation of our own. Luido's eyebrows scrunched together perplexed before they smoothed out and he started again, obviously skipping some things. "'Tears fell from her eyes like crystals as she gazed down at the-'" Again he stopped and after a second slammed the book shut with only a few more pages left to read. "This is getting any better!" he whined, dropping the book on the ground and reaching up his hands to mess up his hair like he was going crazy.

"Why?" asked Cinna innocently. "What happened? Did they live happy for as long as they could?"

At the moment I looked at Cinna and realized that's all happiness was. Something in the moment. A flicker of light before someone blew out the candle or the string wasn't able to be burned anymore. It couldn't last forever. I felt a fondness for her I hadn't really felt before, it was strange because somehow it was familiar. Even she knew that being happy for even a second was a rare thing.

"You should read the end of the book," Zan stated. "A lot can happen in just a few pages."

But Luido shook his head obstinately and perched Cinna on his knees and told his rendition to the end of the story with a lot more enthusiasm so she'd believe it.

"Did you cry?" I asked Zan.

He glanced at me curiously. The light in his eyes was more lively with his soul back though I could tell there was still a carefully made guard and indifference like before. "When?"

"When your sister…died?"

In a flash I saw something before he turned to look into the light blue flames of our campfire. Pain? "To be honest, I really don't remember much about when it happened. I think I did." His voice was filled with a pained wonder, like he was trying desperately to remember even though it was a memory filled with more hurt than anything. "I remember when she left she told me just once she'd have to break her promise that she'd come home." Zan paused again, thinking, gears turning. "When she said it at first I didn't believe her, 'cause she smiled like she was just joking. But when she disappeared all the reality set in and I remember I couldn't stop screaming hoping she'd hear and come back to reprimand me for being so loud. She didn't."

I knew I should have turned away, but I couldn't stop staring at him. As he told the story I couldn't say anything, too mesmerized by the grief of it and the torture that briefly swept across his face when his sister didn't come for him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, but the words didn't seem like enough and I was at a loss for what to do with this sudden need to make a demon feel better.

Zan shrugged and his cool look of indifference set back into place. A smirk of skepticism played on the edge of his lips as he leaned back on his hands and stared at the gray of the sky that peeked from between the leaves of the trees. "Maybe I should have been a more troublesome child," he mused, not really talking to me anymore, just to hear the words for himself. "Should have cried more, shouldn't have reasoned so much, shouldn't have understood anything. Maybe things would have ended different." He looked down the gaze at the flames once more. Their light made his features sharper, but somehow the look of fondness in his eyes made him seem soft. Then he shook his head and stood. "But that's just selfishness talking." He turned on his heel and began to walk into the woods.

I felt a sudden panic, a need to say something. The words caught in my throat but I stood up quickly and when I tried to force them they actually came quite easily, like water. Cool, calming, refreshing. And true. "It's alright to be selfish."

Zan hesitated for a second, glancing back and me with a smile before he disappeared into the trees.

_**Zenith - Third Person**_

"So how did you all meet?" Zenith asked, feeling the need to start some kind of conversation to keep himself distracted from watching Shawn struggle to carry a still dazed Honey in his arms. He'd insisted in taking her and had been carrying her for the last few hours. Shawn's arms were most likely tired, but he didn't complain. Zenith guessed that was what love was like. Struggling for the other's benefit knowing it was you who got the reward in the end. Bliss and Shawn glanced at each other for a second then looked away, like any form of communication between them would be persecuted for.

"The same way everyone meets," Bliss answered dully. "Honey and I grew up together. Xeno was caught later. And Shawn managed to escape with us."

"Is there really nothing else for you to do here? Or are you just slaves?"

Bliss looked at him with a bit of anger in her eyes. "When you're born into a world ruled by demons that know nothing but cruelty, being a slave is the only way to survive."

"But you're surviving being free."

"Yeah, but for how long?" Shawn mumbled beneath his breath. Bliss glanced at him and nodded in agreement.

Zenith sighed, trying not to sound annoyed. But everything, even the most ridiculous menial things, were starting to grind on his nerves. "Then what's the point in running? If you're just going to get caught and taken back? Of running and trying to survive with only a few days worth of food?"

That made them all silent for a few minutes. Bliss didn't look at him and Shawn preoccupied himself by pretending Honey had said something. Then finally, Bliss spoke up. "I'd rather live free for a few seconds of my life than to live in a prison my entire life. If I died out here it'd be like a gift." She paused and let out an agitated breath. "Besides I never would have dreamed of escaping if it wasn't for Xeno. She's the one who was a die hard fanatic of being free."

"Why?" Zenith asked, his intrigue peaked at the mention of Xeno.

Bliss shrugged. "She said there was someone she had to find. That she had to head toward the mountains." Lifting a thin finger she pointed in the distance at the roaming spiky hills that pierced the sky.

"Who was it?" he asked with a little more urgency. Daring himself to hope.

But Bliss shook her head. "She never really said. Just that he was the one who gave her the blindfold and helped her escape with us."

Immediately Zenith's hope deflated and he felt a surge of jealousy he had to bite down on. There was someone else. She wasn't looking for him. But he had a hard time believing it.

"Now let me ask you a question," Bliss said, pulling Zenith from his momentary lapse of reality.

"Shoot."

Bliss's eyes were icy blue and dead set on him. "If Xeno is who you say. And she's so important to you. Why didn't you stay with her? Why did you come after us?"

_I will not have all this power for nothing_, Anonymous's words suddenly rang through Zenith's head.

"It would have been selfish to stay with her," he said. "I may be a demon, but my ancestors were angels once. I will not have all this power and do no good with it."

Bliss's gaze softened slightly, the ice melting. "Well it may have been selfish that way, but I think it was more selfish of you to deprive what time you could have spent getting her memories back than saving us and making a deal of life and death. I think it was more selfish of you to try playing hero."

Her words shocked through him. Deep inside he could feel that she was grateful that he did what he did, but at the same time she resented him for it.

"Of all of us, she was meant to be free."


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22 - Knowing**

_**Zan - First Person**_

_It's alright to be selfish_. The words repeated themselves in my head so many times I wanted to scream. I don't know which angered me more. The fact that I was never selfish or the fact that I should have been or that these words were said by someone that shared the same resemblance as my lost sister, Anonymous. And they were something she _would_ say.

Some bitterness came when she asked if I had cried. It was an innocent question I knew, but it was the fact that I couldn't remember anything at all. When the words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop the truth from leaking. Had I cried when Aela died? Or did I just scream? That's really all I could remember doing. Screaming so much my throat hurt.

I didn't think I could cry until Luido had offered Xeno candied sugar. When she told him she didn't like sweets I couldn't help but laugh. She looked like my sister, talked like her, acted with mannerisms like her, but not liking sugar was something I didn't expect. Since Aela had always thrown fits when I didn't put enough sugar in her coffee, or when I had candy and wouldn't share with her. She was an addict and doomed for diabetes I was sure. The thought made me smile still.

Shaking my head, I kept walking and I grasped for anything, any detailed memory of what happened the day she…died. It was painful and I had tried to bury it, but then I realized I didn't have to. Most of it was left in the dark with no way to see. I didn't even have blurry images to help me. All that was left were sounds, vague noises, and emotions. Worry, panic, pain, loss. Those were the ones that overwhelmed any inclination of memory.

"_Anonymous?" I called, seeing Aela whispering words I couldn't hear with Zenith. A sad smile playing on her lips. She turned to me and immediately the sadness disappeared. "You aren't coming back are you?" _I didn't know how I knew, or why I even asked. Maybe I didn't know at all.

_She smiled at me, full of life, like every other time she'd smiled at me, but this some held something more. It was bright, like sunshine. Drowning out any sense of worry that I felt. But then she lifted her hand and held one finger up. "I'm sorry, Zan. This is the first time." Then without another word she disappeared into the light behind her. No good-bye, no last "I love you" but just that: "I'm sorry."_

_At first I didn't believe her. I thought it was a joke, that she'd come back from the light and laugh saying "Just kidding." But after only a few seconds I could feel the panic rushing through me. She was serious. Aela wasn't coming back for the first time. And the last time. My vision disappeared then and I could feel something inside of me break. I could hear something so loud it pierced my ears before I realized I was screaming._

I closed my eyes, thinking that maybe the pain of my screams would fade if I couldn't see anything but darkness. But they didn't, because I had to remember more.

"_Anonymous! Come back! Come back!" With every word there was a rush of cold that somehow felt like heat flowing through my body. It coursed through me like fire that burned cold. "You promised! Come back Anonymous! You promised!"_

_Then I felt something grab me, some_one_. Several someone's actually, and voices I couldn't quite hear. I felt pressure around my legs, but they didn't feel right._

_Ah_, I thought, lifting my head to stare at the darkening skies signaling the end of another day. The recollection starting to come a little easier now that I was actually looking for it.

_Weight held me down and pressure constricted around my chest. I pulled and pushed at whatever had me. Still screaming, but it wasn't my voice._

"_Zan, calm yourself!" I heard a voice say. I snapped my head at bit at it. My eyes recognizing the large muscled figure of my newly discovered uncle, Russ. His bald head shined with sweat that made me briefly wonder, what was making him work so hard to sweat? But all thought vanished once more and I pulled against him, pressing against the ground to try and stand against the weight that was on top of me._

_I looked to see what held me to find Zenith's arms around me and practically his whole body along with Russ's on top of mine. Then I realized the finer details. White fur bristled everywhere, the body they came from struggled just as I struggled. Seven long tails whipped back and forth. I couldn't understand what was happening. I turned back to the light and screamed for my sister, but it came out like an animal's._

_The cold inside of me turned into power and I growled, fighting against my two assailants and began to feel myself slipping free as they fought to keep me pinned. The white tails slipped around them and pried them off. However, just as I was about to make one final lunge from their grasp I felt something inside of me break. It didn't hurt, but my body fell to the ground motionless. All the fight gone from me and I couldn't move or utter a sound._

_My vision began to blur and sting as I saw figures moving next to me. Russ and Zenith no longer holding on, as if they could feel it too._

_I stared off into the distance that was glazed in light. I thought I saw something move. _Aela?_ I thought, but my heart pounded with the truth._

No she's not here, _it whispered. _She'll never hear you again.

_Then without a sound, I began to cry._

_**Xeno - First Person**_

It had been a while since Zan had left. I didn't realize I had been counting the minutes each time he'd disappeared. But this time he was unusually long. I almost had to urge to go see if I could find him except leaving Luido, snoring with a wide open mouth, and Cinna -who never used to snore but now breathes in time with him- alone didn't seem like a good idea. They were too vulnerable, too carefree. So I stayed put and sighed, staring into the fire.

The flames had turned back to the normal shades of red, orange, and yellow without Zan here to really watch over it. The heat wasn't as warm as before, but it kept us comfortable nonetheless. The blaze was smaller and to me the fire looked sick. The color was a pale looking yellow, with no reds or greens in it that gave it life. It had plenty of wood to burn, but it looked like it was going to die no matter what. Like nothing in this world could save it. But I would. Reaching my hand out I willed it back to life. The flames sputtered and hiccupped as they grew and ate at the fuel before turning into the silvery purple colors that were mine.

Just as they changed, beyond the fire I saw Zan dissolving from the black shade of the trees. Blue eyes glowing as they stared at the ground deep in thought. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, seeing a puzzled look on his face.

Zan looked up at me then and something shifted behind his eyes before his usually indifference replaced it. But what shocked me was that he smiled. Then he shook his head. "I was just wondering why there aren't any demons here," he stated, gaze dropping onto my newly revived fire.

"Figure that one out yet?"

He stared into the burning light before replying. "There's nothing that suggests that demons can't be here. There's no veil that protects this place. But…" he trailed off, caught in his own thoughts trying to figure it out.

"But?" I urge. The way he says his words, the way that he talks makes me just want to listen to his voice. Now they seem to have feeling and emotion that disregards the way he acts since he left a few hours ago and I can't understand why, though I don't question it.

Zan glances at me, blue eyes thoughtful. "But I came across a scent."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "A scent?"

He nodded then the puzzled look came back to his face. "It was familiar to me, but I can't quite pin what it belonged to."

"Do you think that's why there aren't any demons here?"

"I can't be sure, but I think it is. Whatever is out there, clearly isn't welcoming to demons."

"But we've been here for months. If it didn't want us here, why hasn't it come?" I asked, feeling slightly on edge. My mind began to whisper thoughts that there was something watching us from the woods at that very moment and I looked around warily in spite of myself.

Again Zan shook his head. "I don't know." Then he looked up and our eyes locked, that change I'd saw flash in his eyes earlier came again. "I guess what you don't know is how much you know without knowing you know it."


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23 - The Moments Missed**

_For a moment I felt panic. Rough hands gripped my arms tightly as they pushed me down a narrow corridor. Their skin was hot against mine and they had claws that sliced into my skin with no remorse. I winced, but I can't fight back even though I want to. They put chains around my ankles that are so heavy they made me feel like I'd fall straight to the middle of the planet. So I followed their lead without any complaint._

_When we finally stopped I heard the whoosh of air and something squealing open, a door. The smell hit me and I had to force myself not to gag. It was rancid and bitter. The air was hot and I thought I was going to suffocate if they put me in the room. But still, the hands that held me pushed me forward hard and I fell to the ground. Scraping my shoulder as I heard the slam of metal and the door was locked._

"_Is that her?" someone whispered._

_I snapped my head in their general direction, but I couldn't see. I could never see anything. I reached down and grabbed the chains that bound my ankles and tugged at them in vain._

_Around me I could hear breathing. Some hard, some soft, others labored and I realized I hadn't been brought to another demon's quarters. I hadn't even been brought back to my own isolated chamber. I was in one of the rooms that they kept other slaves in. I felt a rush of relief, but felt out of place at the same time._

_Someone moved closer, I could hear their feet shuffling across the floor as chains followed after them. Whoever it was kneeled down next to me._

"_I'm Bliss," she said, her voice soft. She sounded about the same age as me, but the way she said those two words made me envision her as someone much older and wiser than I was._

"_Xeno," I replied._

_I felt her sit next to me, her fingers rubbing against my bare back as light as feathers. I didn't understand what compelled her, or what made her think that I was even peaceful enough to touch so familiarly. I was a stranger after all._

"_Where did you come from?" she asked, her fingers sending little shocks of pain between all my scars and bruises even though she was barely touching me._

"_I don't remember."_

"_These wounds look weeks old. Don't they take you anywhere?"_

_I tilted my head toward her curiously. "I just came from a demon's leisure if that's what you're asking. These wounds just barely happened."_

"_But they're almost gone," she whispered wondrously._

"_She must be the one then, right?" a soft voice whispered from across the room. I snapped my head in their direction. Hearing them move a little more careful across the floor toward me. "I'm Honey," she said shyly when she was close enough._

"_And who am I supposed to be exactly?" I ask as little tartly._

_Bliss and Honey were so close I could _feel_ their exchange in looks. Bliss is the one to speak. "We heard there was a girl that wasn't born here was brought in by…" she cuts off a little fearfully before whispering, "by _Julius_ untouched."_

_I blink in recognition. "Oh, him. He was nice," I said with a happy tone in my voice that turned sour as I continue. "If you discount the fact that he brought me here."_

"_I heard he was in shock when he found her and let the other demons have her," a taunting voice said behind me. "Now he's renovating his entire home to take her there because he couldn't stand the fact of others touching her. She'll be dead in no time. No demon wants a stupid blind girl."_

"_Shut up, Raven," Bliss hissed._

"_I'll escape before I have anything to do with death," I said, ignoring the Raven girl. "There's someone that I have to find."_

"_Who?" Honey asked quietly._

_I shook my head, the name about to come to me but it disappears before I can grasp it. "I don't remember."_

_Raven laughs behind me. "Yeah, I'm sure Prince Charming can stand up to demons," she mocked._

_Suddenly there was a burst of cold air accompanied by a screech of the door. I felt the others flinch and huddle to the ground like they could camouflage with it. At that moment I felt it. The heat of Hell, the sinister darkness, swallowing my entire being before I could even take a breath._

"_Come with me, my beautiful Butterfly."_

I started, sitting up ramrod straight. My heart pounding in my ears as I breathed rapidly. I pulled my knees to my chest and laid my head against my folded arms, concentrating on getting my heart rate down. But no matter how much I tried, I couldn't get the aura that wafted off of Julius to disperse. _It was just a dream_, I told myself, _a distant memory_. But my body tensed instinctively and I had that feeling of something watching me.

Slowly, I lifted my head, peeking just above my arms. And there, out in the darkness of the woods I saw eyes. They glowed red and malicious as they stared back at me. I felt shock run through me and I fell back on my arms, trying to crawl back, but I was too frozen to move. I couldn't see whatever they belonged to, but they carried the same aura Julius had. It didn't feel as powerful except it felt heavier and more vicious. Was that what Zan was talking about? The thing that kept the demons out of these woods?

I turned to see Zan sleeping soundly next to me, completely undisturbed. But before I could reach to wake him the eyes looked away from me at something else before completely disappearing, taking the darkness with it. Finally I felt like I could breath and I let out a shaky breath. My hands shook just above Zan's shoulder. The dark hollows under his eyes gave away that he must have fallen asleep on watch only a few hours, if not a few minutes, before. I clenched my fingers into a fist and let him sleep. Whatever those red eyes were was gone now.

I stared at my silvery fire. On the other side, Luido and Cinna slept just as soundly as Zan and I wondered why they didn't feel what I had. They were demons after all.

Something in the woods sounded like a branch snapping. Unable to hide my alarm, I immediately stood and faced it. Had the eyes come back? Just as I was about scream, before my brain could register what my eyes saw, Zan was standing in front of me defensively. Behind me I saw Luido and Kai braced over Cinna on full alert for protection.

"Hello out there!" a familiar voice called. "Anybody home?"

Zan's shoulders fell and his body relaxed as he stood upright. "Damn it Zenith," he growled. "What's wrong with you?"

Just then four figures walked into the firelight. Zenith smiled widely and held his hands out innocently. "What?"

"Zenith!" Luido called happily, running over and jumping on him like a child. I was surprised Zenith didn't tumble over. "I missed you. A lot. A lot, a lot. I mean whole bunches of lots and stuff." He smiled looking over at the others standing next to him.

Bliss and I locked eyes and I wasn't sure who moved first, but the next thing I knew we were both hugging each other tightly as if the other wasn't real. When we pulled apart I looked and was amazed to see Shawn as he carried Honey in closer to the fire. His eyes locked on Cinna, who breathed without a care in the world for anything happening outside her dreams. Shawn set Honey down right next to her.

"Honey," Shawn called. "It's alright. Cinna's here."

As if that was the magic password, color and light seemed to come back to her dead hazed over eyes. She moved her head weakly to look down at her daughter and a quiet squeak escaped her throat as she laid down and wrapped her arms around Cinna. Tears fell from her eyes like stars into Cinna's dirty hair. Shawn breathed in relief as he watched over both of them.

I turned back to Zenith, who watched the others briefly before looking at me. Something crossed his face, but slowly he smiled, sauntering over to me like he owned the world. He leaned down so close I could feel his breath on my face. One hand came up and his thumb wiped my cheek.

"Now, now," he chided. "I know you missed me, but you don't need to cry."

I blinked, pulling back startled. On his hand I could see a shimmer of something wet. At that moment, I wasn't entirely sure if he was just joking or not. But my heart hammered in my chest at his words when they rang the truth in my ears.

_I missed him,_ I thought. _I missed him so much_.


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24 - Precaution**

Bliss and I huddled close to each other, as if we were the only ones in the world and needed each other to survive. While Shawn slept near a completely wiped out Honey and Cinna stirred slightly but it was still a few hours before she had to wake. Luido had disappeared into the forest to help Zenith keep watch, his energy completely recharged and unneeded at the moment in the camp. A few feet away on the other side of me, Zan finally had enough peace to sleep for more than a few seconds. I wondered how long half-demons needed to sleep.

"How did you find us?" I whispered to Bliss, who was beginning to doze herself.

She blinked drowsily at me. "Zenith said caught the scent of Zan's soul and we followed it here," she explained just as quietly before looking away. Her body was tense and I knew there was something else she wanted to say but just didn't know how.

"Are you alright?" I asked, giving her a little more time to think of how to tell me whatever it was. I didn't bother asking what happened to her in captivity. I knew every bit of it from experience.

Bliss nodded. "Thanks to Zenith," she replied a little bitterly. "I would probably be dead now if it wasn't for him." Her blue eyes glanced at me and she huffed irritated. "I can't believe he'd leave you just to find us though."

I tilted my head at her curiously. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't he?"

Bliss raised a disbelieving eyebrow at me. "I swear you're probably more dense than he is, and I think he just pretends to be."

"What are you talking about?" I asked skeptically.

But she shook her head and sighed, staring at the ground. "Be careful of Zenith," she whispered almost inaudibly. "He made a deal with Julius to get us out."

My eyes widened as I stared at her with shock. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but a small part of me had hoped they had made it out without much confrontation. But to run into Julius put me on edge, and making a deal with him made me skittish. Zenith should have known better. I figured he would have rather fought to the death than make a deal.

"What was the deal?" I asked hastily and breathlessly.

But as Bliss was about to answer Luido bounded into camp. His smile like a signal for the dark sky to start getting lighter. Behind him Zenith came walking casually. I watched after him, feeling my heart beat a little faster despite the dark cloak that I finally felt wafting off of him now that I paid more attention. Had Julius gotten to him too?

When Zenith looked toward me I looked away quickly. The emptiness I had felt when we'd separated was gone now, but I felt irritated nonetheless. _I know you missed me_. His words teased in my head. Was that why I had felt forlorn? Because I _missed_ him? I shook my head of the idea. Who would miss such a cocky idiot?

Beside me Bliss yawned. I never noticed how much I'd really gotten to know her these past seven years. When we were slaves I hardly ever saw another human. Julius kept me locked away from the world with only him as my companion. I didn't forget her though. I remember, but I couldn't understand why, she tried to protect me the day Julius came to take me away. We hadn't known each other for ten minutes, but she endured harsh punishment for trying to defend me from him. I could hear her screams as I was hauled off. She'd never told me why she did it though.

She raised her hand to rub her eyes. I started to notice the little details I'd never really paid attention to, but I knew they were there somehow. Her nails were long and attached to thin fingers. Her hand was delicate despite the scars and her arms were long and the silvery marks made her look fearsome. The long parts of her hair that framed her face looked like one large strand, but really her hair was actually very fine. I realized if I had to pick a word to describe her it would be "thin". But she wasn't skeletal looking, just thin. Everything from her hair to her arms to her legs were thin, but I knew she had muscle beneath her skin. She was the only one that could keep up with me full force if she needed.

Bliss, I admitted, was one person I could miss. Perhaps I missed her when she was gone. Maybe I was the one who hugged her first.

On the other side of the fire Cinna sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. For a moment she looked around in a daze before looking down at her mother. Instantly recognition hit and she smiled and squealed. "Mommy!" she yelled loudly, jumping on top of Honey's frail looking body.

Honey stirred and opened her hazel eyes. They took in the world like a newborn. Then her lips spread into a smile and she hugged a giggling little girl to her, not seeming to mind her weight.

"I missed you, mommy," Cinna said, snuggling against her mother's chest before sitting up.

"I missed you too," Honey replied quietly, her voice filled with relief and love.

Shawn sat up next to her looking out of place. Cinna wouldn't know who he was, but I was sure she'd know as soon as Honey regained her usual demeanor.

"Mommy, there's a lake," Cinna said excitedly, the last few months without her completely forgotten. She pointed toward the wood, but didn't know it was the wrong direction. "We go swimming sometimes. Can we go swimming?" she begged, putting her hands together like she was going to pray.

Honey laughed and I heard music in it. "Of course we can," she said, taking Cinna's hands in hers and kissing them fondly.

"You should eat something first," Zenith said just as Luido sat down the backpack of what food we had left. "You too." He gestured to Bliss toward the bag. "You must be starving from traveling for a week without food."

"I've gone longer," Bliss stated matter-of-factly, like it was something to be proud of, but she crawled over on her hands and knees and took a pear from Luido, who handed Honey and Shawn some bread and dried meat. They ate it with carefully, letting every bite fill them. We didn't have much food left.

Zan had been curled almost into a ball. His head lifted heavily and his eyes barely opened as they looked around. I felt bad that Cinna was being so loud and was waking him up, but he didn't say anything as he sat up and swiped the jerky Luido had been nibbling on and chomped it down. Luido whined and was about to tackle him, but Zan merely flicked his forehead with a taunting smile.

In less than an hour we were breaking from the woods to the rocky shores of the lake. It was completely still except for the opening where the river rippled in and joined it. From my perspective it looked black, but I had a hard time telling how deep a blue it really was. I was so used to actually seeing blue from Zan that I couldn't remember it's grayscale shade. We'd come here a few times before to clean ourselves off, surprised by how warm the water was. Though it was reasonable since it wasn't a very big lake and got no deeper than five feet due to Luido's exploration.

"Yay!" Cinna cried, pulling Honey as hard as she could to the water. Honey was cautious though she let herself get dragged in, sitting on the edge of the bank while Cinna splashed around. Honey glanced back and Shawn and smiled an invitation for him to join.

Luido yelled too, stripping of his shirt and jumping in the water without a second thought. He disappeared under the water and burst up sending it flying everywhere as he waved at us. "Come on!" he called, the water coming up to his waste. "The water feels wet."

Beside me Bliss let out a laugh. "It's been a while since I've had a decent bath," she said, running her fingers through her oily dirt covered hair.

"Well no one's stopping you now," I said to her, trying to sound encouraging.

Bliss smiled at me slightly and nodded before taking off for the water. She jumped in without testing the temperature. When she resurfaced her clothes clung to her body and her hair dripped like rain. Luido splashed at her with a laugh and she hesitated, but soon was having a water fight with him and laughing as well. I couldn't blame her. He had something about him that was hard to say no. He'd coddled me into playing along as well once.

Zan walked to the edge, his hands in his coat pockets as he watched the others, but didn't join. Instead he kept a look out despite Luido's constant whining for him to get in the water. The most he did was kneel down and wash his hands and splash his face.

"Aren't you going in?" Zenith asked, coming up to me.

I still couldn't look at him. I wasn't entirely sure what would happen if I did. I was still taken back from saying I'd missed him, even if it wasn't confessed outright, and his aura that carried a faint resemblance to Julius kept me at bay from doing anything at all.

"No," I replied curtly. "I don't like water." I recalled when we had first met and through the second world shifted we'd went though and I ended up nearly drowning in the ocean. The lake wasn't so bad, at least I could touch the ground.

"How about a walk then?" he asked, leaning forward to look at me and dare me to say no.

My heart pounded at the invitation. A walk where? What would we talk about? Would he tell me about the deal he made? I didn't trust myself to be alone with him. Zenith made my entire being buzz without my wanting it too. I denied the fact that I liked the feeling.

So instead of saying anything I turned from him and began to walk away, only a few feet as I climbed up on a rock and installed myself there comfortably looking out over everyone.

Zenith laughed in submission though from the corner of my eye I saw something like agitation on his face before it disappeared.


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25 - A Dream Is A Wish**

_I was at the beach. Standing with the water up to my waist and the waves crashing against my stomach. The sun was setting in the distance and spilled colors I would never be able to really see across the horizon. Odd, too, that there were no clouds but it was raining heavily. The air smelled strongly of salt and cleanliness I couldn't find anywhere else. My chest was light as I breathed it in like I had never used my lungs my entire life. And I was happy. My lips were spread in a smile. That's how I knew it was a dream._

_But I didn't allow myself to be deterred. For once I wasn't waking up in a nightmare. I soaked in all I could of this peaceful seeming dream. Like the foam of the sea bubbling around me, the water warm and soothing. I noticed the colors of the sky bleeding into one another like some abstract picture, like somehow each color was their own but at the same time they were different than what they should be. The black grains of sand on the beach sparkled like a million tiny diamonds._

_Behind me I heard someone sloshing into the water toward me. Instead of turning to see who it was, enemy or friend, I leaned back and was caught by a familiar warmth._

"_Remember the first time we were here?" his voice whispers tenderly into the shell of my ear. I close my eyes and tilt my head toward the sound. I don't answer, there isn't a need to. Instead I just breath in the sweet scent of him. Masculine and dark, comforting._

_His arms wrapped around me and pulled me closer. His breathing stirred my hair and made my heart flutter. The feeling delighted me and I wanted to feel it more. I felt his hand move, fingers spreading across the expanse of my stomach before moving up. My breathing hitched as his fingers grazed just beneath my breast, surely he could feel my heart trying to escape. Slowly, agonizingly, he kept rising, unembarrassed by such actions as his palm cupped my breast firmly before moving on, as if he'd done it a thousand times before. And I didn't want him to stop. My breathing became more ragged as electrical currents pulsed through me, up my spine, as if his fingers were lightning rods._

_Then his hand pressed against my chest, sliding up to my throat and I felt a slight moment of panic, but felt exhilarated at the same time. Except the panic was gone before I could take root as his fingers moved to my face, outlining my jaw, tracing gently across my lips like he was painting them, then my nose and finally slipping them beneath my blindfold and pulling it off._

_I gasped, opening my eyes to nothing, but he whispered before I can react, "Why don't you see me?"_

"_I'm blind," I manage to say, my throat feeling dry. Sadness creeping its way_

_Then strong hands grip my shoulders and spin me around to face him. His voice is earnest, pleading. "Look at me!" The heat of him radiates through me and I have a hard time thinking. The water of the ocean has went cold, but I couldn't feel it. All I had was the desire to touch him. Feel every contour of his body. Memorize it so I wouldn't lose him._

_Hesitantly I raised my hands, bumping them against his stomach. He's so close I could smell his breath, intoxicating and fresh. His muscles tighten beneath my now wandering hands and I can hear his breathing has become fast and uneven like mine. My mind screams at me to go faster, but my hands move slow with their exploration. Every ridge my fingers graze I had a sudden desire to follow with my tongue._

_Finally, like he can hear my thoughts, I feel hands on each side of my face and suddenly I feel his lips on mine. Crushing, hot and searing my whole body. _You're mine_, he seems to say as his mouth possesses me. My hands shot up to his hair, pulling him down harder to me. My mouth opened and I felt his tongue slide in to explore, coaxing mine to dance with it. His nose bumps against mine as he keeps ravaging my mouth, making my head spin with pleasure. For a moment I think, _This must be what it's like to breathe.

_Absentmindedly I found myself continuing my exploration of him. Albeit a bit hastily. My fingers skimmed the sides of his face, thumbs rubbing against his jawline then moving over his eyes, which are closed and I felt a thrill of excitement hum through me. Down his nose then to our mouths that move against each other in earnest, like we'd die if we couldn't kiss each other, like we'd die if we stopped. My fingers trace his face and I discovered I've been making an outline of it._

_I pull back with a gasp. Staring blindly at the man in front of me. My hands cup his face and I smile at him. "I see you, Zenith. I can't stop looking at you." As if to emphasize my fingers began to draw his face again._

_I felt him take a sharp breath, leaning forward and pressing his forehead against mine. "There's something I have to tell you," he whispers._

"_What is it?" When he exhales I inhale and if feels like we're one person. My heart drums happily, I've never felt so alive._

_Zenith is quiet of a moment before speaking. "I can change."_

_I pulled back with a gasp. It's not Zenith's voice. Suddenly fear gripped me and I blinked frantically for any shred of vision, but I don't know where he put my blindfold. I can't run, my body is frozen where I stand. Evil radiates around me, pulling me down and I'm falling._

"_Julius, stop," I pleaded before I felt hands around my throat._

I sat up, startled awake. Terror coursed through me as I took in my surroundings. I was still on top of the rock by the lake, but the others weren't playing in the water anymore. Had they left me alone here? It was dark and I could barely make out anything more than a few feet away.

"Are you alright?"

I jumped at the voice, turning around to see Zenith sitting behind me with his legs folded, just close enough for my head to lay in his lap. His red eyes gaze at me through the darkness and I have as feeling I've seen similar eyes before in the woods. The dream comes flooding back to me and with it every emotion I felt. I thanked the heavens I didn't get embarrassed or turned as red as an apple, but I couldn't help but look at Zenith like he was the same one in my dream. My lips echoed the feel of having his on them and I swatted them away.

Dreams weren't real. Anything I felt for him wasn't real. Was it?

"What are you doing?" I finally manage to croak. "Where is everyone?"

Zenith tilted his head at me curiously and I had the urge to pull him closer so I could look at his eyes in detail, and maybe, just maybe…

"You fell asleep and we didn't want to disturb you. They're making camp a little closer to the lake," he explains, gesturing to the woods.

I followed his gaze and in the distance I saw a blue flicker of flames between the trees. Relief flashed through me and I relaxed.

"What did you dream about?" Zenith asks casually.

Suddenly I felt like he could see right through me. Read my mind and maybe even watched my dream as I slept. I tensed but calmed myself with thoughts that he couldn't possibly have known what I dreamt of. My shocked awakening must have given a possible hint of a nightmare, but nothing more.

"Do you remember the day at the beach?" I asked him, avoiding looking in his direction, my eyes focused on the blue fire like they'd disappear if I didn't stare.

I could just _feel_ his smile in the night. "Romantic place, isn't it?" he teased. "I knew killing zombies would be a great way to get to know each other."

I couldn't help but smile. Inside I chastised myself. That dream was messing with my head.

"Julius tried to drown me," I said without thinking.

Zenith's humor vanishes and a deafening quiet sets in. I glanced at him to see his reaction, but he just stared at me as if waiting to hear more but not pressing. Suddenly I want to throw my arms around him and beg him to tell me what it was that Julius said to him, beg him not to even think on Julius again. But my arms stay limp at my sides.

I laughed dryly. "He succeeded," I whispered, looking down at the lake. "Many times he's succeeded in drowning me." I don't know why I'm talking, about this especially, but I couldn't seem to get myself to stop.

Before I realized what was going on I was high in the air. I shout with surprise, looking down to see Zenith smiling up at me, his arms holding my legs to his chest. "Then I say it's time to come up for air."

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I didn't cry before because I missed Zenith. Maybe I cried because he saw me differently. The way I imagined he did in my dream. A dream filled with things I didn't understand, but I wanted to. He made the emptiness inside of me disappear. I felt a tear run down my nose, falling from the tip and falling onto his forehead, but his smile didn't falter as he kept looking at me.

"He's killed me," I cried, voice breaking. "Thousands of times." My hands find their way to the sides of Zenith's face. "Has he gotten to you too?"

Zenith's smile became softer and his eyes gentle. He released my legs and I fell only to be caught again in his arms so our faces were merely inches apart. The heat of his body soaked into mine and relaxed my body. His breath is just as my dream pictured it and even sweeter with the words breathed with it.

"I'll save you."


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26 - Things To Die For**

When Zenith and I walked back to camp, I found it quite lively with everyone back together. Cinna and Luido ran around playing tag and jumping through Zan's fire that didn't hurt them in the least. Shawn sat smiling with Honey between his legs, though her body looked worn and thin from malnutrition, her eyes were bright and her soft smile warm as a quiet laugh slipped from her. Bliss sat near them, laughing and smiling too as they talked.

Then my eyes landed on Zan, who slept despite all the noise around him. He looked peaceful and completely unaware of the world, though slightly uncomfortable sitting up against a tree with his head bent on his shoulder. I knew I felt a fondness for him, but in that moment I looked at him and wanted to walk over and hug him, lie his head on my lap and let him sleep on while I ran my hands soothingly through his silky black hair. I knew it was impossible, however. Zan and I weren't especially close, we had a mutual respect for each other, but he kept himself guarded whenever he was around me. Like I really was the ghost of his sister coming to haunt him. I doubted he would willingly comply to my sudden kindred spirit, he'd likely disappear into the forest like usual.

"What are we talking about?" Zenith asked as we stepped into the firelight. I tried to keep composed, but I couldn't help noticing how close he was. That every step we took his hand would brush against mine briefly but send electric shocks to my stuttering heart.

Bliss and I locked eyes and her smile vanished. Her gaze flicked between Zenith and I then down at the grazing backs of our hands before looking at me again. Her hard blue eyes were cold and made me remember what she'd said about being careful around Zenith. "Just reminiscing," she stated, I could feel the iciness in her voice, a warning that seemed more directed at me than at him. The lingering ideals of my dream began to disappear and become replaced with my usual ignorance. It was just a dream, I could never feel anything for him, Zenith was a demon. Though a small part of me still hoped.

"What would be have to reminisce about?" I asked skeptically, sitting down on the ground with a log to lean against behind me. I tried to ignore the fact that Zenith sat on it to my right and wasn't even a few inches from his knee touching my shoulder. The closeness made my body heat up and ridiculous thoughts of leaning my head against his leg wandered both annoyingly and pleasingly through my mind.

Bliss finally looked away and Honey and Shawn's smiles disappeared. "Plenty," Bliss commented after a moment. "There was the time we escaped, the time we shifted into a field of flowers that were taller than us."

"Man eating flowers," I replied, but felt a small smile creep on my face.

She shrugged and gave a mirror of my smile. "Still, it was like a giant game of hide-and-seek trying to find each other. You and I fought our way through them trying to eat us while Cinna, Honey, and Raven walked without difficulty."

"How'd they manage that?" Shawn asked, wrapping his arms around Honey's waist. A gesture I found myself jealous of and forcing myself not to glance at Zenith. Mentally I slapped myself, all this dreaming and freedom was making me delirious.

Honey was the one who spoke, her voice soft and holding a quiet chime of laughter in it. "Cinna thought the flowers were pretty and took a knife from the backpack we had and cut one down. For a moment I thought we'd be eaten, the creatures were so mad, but Cinna picked it up and began walking with it and the plants were terrified of her. If they could, I'm sure they would have ran away."

Shawn laughed and Bliss chuckled. "It was the most stupidest thing I'd ever seen when we all found each other. Xeno and I were covered in green mucus and they were all walking untouched."

"Guess no one thought plants would be scared of someone wandering around holding one of their dead like a trophy," I voiced about to laugh before feeling my chest constrict. I stifled a cough, turning my head away from the others with my hand over my mouth. I glanced at the others but they didn't seem concerned until Bliss and I made contact. More coughs swelled in my chest and I could feel liquid rising like bile in my throat.

Immediately she stood up. "Come with me," she said, pointing at me like I was in trouble. Before I could respond she was next to me and hauling me up by the arm and pulling me toward the lake a few hundred yards away.

"Where are you going?" Zenith asked. I didn't look at him, I couldn't, I had to concentrate on not exploding.

Bliss turned to glare at him and with a bored matter-of-fact voice said, "I have to pee." With that she dragged me through the forest. It was a statement I would have laughed at, since she didn't ever ask me to come with her, and because she said it to keep him from following us.

We reached the edge of the lake and immediately I dropped to my knees and had the coughing fit of my life. I gagged and choked, the hoarse sound scratched my throat as I felt liquid coming out in spurts. I tried to wash it away, but my hands were too shaky and my body too stiff and locked from vomiting. Tears swelled in my eyes from the lack of air I barely managed to heave in. Against my back I felt Bliss's hand patting it to help get it all out. By the time I finally calmed, I opened my eyes and saw my hands slicked with blood, the water around me was darker too. I gasped, I'd never coughed up so much before, my lungs were sore and my throat was like sandpaper. Frantically I began washing it from my hands like it wouldn't disappear, rubbing my mouth and face raw to leave no trace.

"How long has it been like this?" Bliss asked, rubbing my back now and ignoring my episode of OCD. Her voice sounded as surprised as I felt. She was the only one who knew about my sudden blood surges, I'd managed to hide them from the others.

I shook my head. "I've been fine the past few months," I rasped, moving my hands around in the water to make the red disappear enough so I could quench my thirst. I glanced behind us toward the camp, but there was no movement to show someone had heard me.

"There's so much," she said. "I thought both your lungs would come out."

I chuckled humorlessly. "Maybe next time they will." I coughed again from drinking too fast. The cold water hit my stomach with a kick, but it soothed the dry ache of my throat and washed away the horrid coppery taste on my tongue. I sat back on my butt and heaved a sigh. "This is the price of freedom," I mused.

Bliss looked at me sadly, sitting beside me. She was quiet for a while and her eyes stared off in the distance in a way I knew she was thinking about how to tell me something I wouldn't want to hear. When she finally spoke, I wished it had just stayed an awkward silence. "Julius put that curse on you so you wouldn't leave him," she said. "You know it's going to get worse, even if you had a few good months since the last one."

"I'm not going back to him," I growled. "I'd rather die of this."

She shook her head. "I didn't mean that. It's just that when we first left you had bad episodes and when we got farther away from him so did the time between them. Then whenever a demon would show up you had one before or after or even during but managed to make it look like you'd just taken a hit."

"So what?"

Bliss stared at me hard. "Each demon was looking for you, Xeno. And no doubt each one was in contact with Julius at some point. His aura wears off on them and you can feel it, that's what makes the episodes happen. And Zenith is his recent victim." At his name I snapped my head to look at her and knew I'd been caught. She stared at me with disappointment. "If you went so long without having an attack and with Zenith bringing so much of Julius's atmosphere that even _I_ can feel it, I don't think you'll last much longer." Her hands were on my shoulders and she shook me. "You have to stay away from him. He's a demon and he's been touched by Julius, there's no telling what will happen with you, Xeno."

I shook my head in disbelief, part of me aching for the words Zenith promised me. "No, he's different. Him, Luido, and Zan. He'll save me."

Then there was a loud crack and my head was suddenly turned away from her and stars sparkled in my vision. When I looked at her, Bliss's face was angry and her hand was still lifted. The left side of my face stung from her slap.

"I've seen the way you look at him, Xeno. Now I wish you'd stayed oblivious and distrusting." She sighed and lowered her hand. "He's not here because he likes _you_, Xeno." She kept saying my name like it'd help reinforce her words into my brain. "Zenith is here because he thinks you're the girl that died in his world that he loved. He made a deal with Julius to get your memories back if you told him your secret." I stared at her with astonishment. My heart started to hurt and in my mind I found the room filled with cobwebs and empty of any memories I thought I had. "Whatever your secret is, Xeno, you can't tell him. If you do Julius will find you and you'll never find the man in the mountains."

I shook my head, leaning forward against my knees for stability against the world whirling around me. Zenith didn't want me, he wanted the girl he thought I was. A girl I knew I wasn't. At the risk of Julius finally catching me. And my secret… If I were that girl, would he still love me if he knew it? Suddenly the ideals of my dream shattered and I was left once again with my own defenses.

"I won't tell him," I whispered, pulling back and wiping my mouth of a little trickle of blood. "I'll die first."


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27 - Conflicted**

When we got back to camp I was completely deflated. Not only had my attack made me tired, but I was also disappointed by the fact I knew I shouldn't have allowed myself to start getting strange ideas about Zenith but I did anyway. Part of me was proud that I'd come to the conclusion of separating myself from them, but another was sad that I did. Now my mind was set on closing him off. I wasn't going to entertain any thoughts about him, and I sure as hell wasn't going to be caught alone with him.

Of course, as soon as we got into camp and I saw Zenith poking at the fire boredly with a stick, my resolution faltered and just that crack had ideas of what it'd be like to actually kiss him rather than in my dreams came flooding like a tsunami. My hands itched to run through his hair and trace his face again with my eyes closed to see if he was clearer to me blind than with the blindfold on.

Bliss stepped passed me and immediately I felt stupid. Barricading my mind against imagined happy moments with Zenith. Mentally I kept smacking myself and thought if it were possible my brain might've had bruises covering it from how hard I had to hit. I kept repeating what she'd said before. Zenith wasn't here for _me_, he was here for _her_, Zan's sister Anonymous. Bliss told me how Zenith said he was in love with her, how Julius must've stolen my memories.

For brief moments I wondered how it would be if I got them back. I knew there was always something I'd been missing. And they were there to take back so easily if I told him. Told him the secret that ate at me. I kept it buried but as soon as I heard the word from Bliss's lips I could feel my stomach tighten and bile threaten to spill from my mouth again. It was like a wound had been opened and I couldn't stop the bleeding. In a way I wanted it to stop, but then it reminded me that Zenith wasn't mine, didn't want me, and it ate at any wishes that I might've had of him.

Bliss hadn't said to stay away from Zan or Luido, I knew she didn't trust them much either, but a lot more than Zenith for sure. She also hadn't mentioned about us going our separate ways. Though I doubted Zenith or the others would allow it anyway. I knew before Bliss had warmed up to them a lot faster than I did when we first met, but since she was captured I think it reaffirmed her belief that they were all evil. We had completely switched opinions, she and I. Mine was gradual and gave a final push with that idiotic dream.

I laughed inwardly. It was strange how dreams could affect you in reality. Have a good dream and you wake up energized, have a nightmare and you wake up frightened. Have a dream about kissing someone and you wake up noticing them more than you did before, might even end up loving them. But have a dream of someone killing you…and you wake hating the world.

I followed Bliss as she sat down close to Honey, who had Cinna sleeping in her arms now. I sat next to her and tried to look everywhere but at Zenith. I could feel his eyes on me and I just knew that he must've heard me choking earlier at the lake. It made me tense that he might start asking questions, but he kept quiet and for that I was thankful.

"We're running out of food," he said instead.

Luido, who I hadn't noticed was gone, sprung from the woods and flopped next to Zenith. His face became worried as he took in the sagging pack that carried our supplies. "But without food, we can't eat, and if we can't eat, we starve, and if we starve, we die, and if we die-" His frantic voice cut off with a thump from Zenith's fist on his head.

"We're not going to die," Zenith stated with annoyance. I wanted to laugh but thought better of it. "Especially not us." He flicked Luido's ear and he yelped. "But these guys will if we don't find something soon."

"Well we can't stay here our whole lives," Bliss commented with a little irritancy. "We have to keep moving."

"But there aren't demons here," Luido chimed with a smile that made Bliss stare at him critically. He laughed, scratching his head. "I mean, not bad demons."

Bliss didn't say anything in reply, though I knew she would've retorted had it been Zenith that said it.

"Why can't we?" I asked, more to myself. I hadn't meant for anyone to hear, but their eyes were on me. I found myself forced to speak. "Why couldn't we stay here?" I glanced at Bliss and she stared at me dumbfounded. I knew it was a dumb question to ask, I knew I couldn't stay but my mouth just said it anyway.

Honey spoke and somehow seemed more quiet than usual. "Would it be safe?" Something in her voice sounded relieved, happy, even. Finally settling somewhere that we hadn't had any trouble from anything. I was sure she was tired from walking to my reach-less mountains and dragging her daughter along wasn't a very good idea either.

"You can't be serious," Bliss stated. I looked at her and she stared back with incredulous eyes. "We can't stay here. There isn't any food. Besides there's no guarantee that demons won't just show up out of nowhere."

"We can search for food," Luido volunteered, raising his hand like an eager child. "Kai is good at finding stuff to eat. We can find whole bunches of stuff." The fabric of his shirt ruffled and he glanced down to pull it up to his chest. The scar across his stomach opened and the strange white centipede looking demon stuck his mandibles out and clicked them together in agreement. Kai looked much too large to fit inside of Luido's body, but somehow he managed. Luido patted Kai's head happily and the demon's blue eyes closed fondly while he did. I found myself mesmerized by them both.

I was pulled from my staring when Bliss growled. "It doesn't matter." Her voice tried to remain firm but I could hear her argument slipping. If there was one thing I was certain of now since she came back, was that I trusted Bliss. She had been with me since the beginning and somehow, even when I knew I pushed too hard, she kept up with me. Even when she knew I never gave a second thought for her, somehow she knew I unconsciously needed her there.

"Bliss is right," I said, making her head snap toward me. "It's been nice to have peace without running for so long, but there's no guarantee that it'll last. Besides" -I glanced at her and carefully avoided eye contact with Zenith- "We need to get to the mountains." _To find someone_, I didn't add, already feeling the tension from Zenith, the black air came off of him in waves and made me uneasy.

"What's there?" Luido had the audacity to ask, I wanted to slap him for it but he was too innocent and naïve. Kai crawled out a little further and now rested in his lap.

"What _is_ there?" We all turned to see Zan, still leaning against the tree, but his blue eyes wide and awake and alert. I wondered how long he'd been listening. Did he feel the evil on Zenith too?

Now that Zan was the one who asked I had to answer. I couldn't lie, it felt wrong, especially to him. Under his blue gaze I felt like I was covered in spotlight with nowhere to hide. I looked back at him calmly.

"The man who helped us escape," I replied. "The one who gave me the blindfold."

"Why do you need to find him?" Before I could stop myself I looked at Zenith, but his black eyes that were red now peered off in the distance like he was ashamed to look at me. It made me feel guilty, dirty, like I'd done something wrong. His voice was carefully controlled, I could feel his anger without it being evident. "What makes you think he's in the mountains?"

"I…" Stopping, I really wondered why I had to find the man so much. Why had my drive always been to get to the mountains? What was I going to say if I found him? Thank you? Maybe, since I'd never gotten the chance. But what then? "I feel like… He knows why I'm here." The words came before I could even think them. They spilled like rushing water and I felt the cool truth of them on my tongue. That was it. He knew.

Suddenly without uttering a word, Zenith stood and began to walk off stiffly into the night of the woods. Immediately I felt my words hit me in the gut, stealing my breath. I wanted to stand and chase him. Wrap my arms around him and beg for forgiveness. Tell him I was sorry for even saying it.

_Why don't you see me? _he seemed to yell as he walked away with his back to me. _Look at me!_

My dream escaped their confine in fragments that I had a hard time putting back in their box. My mind screamed at me from two different sides. Stay. Chase. Forget. Remember. Let go. Grab. An empty room that held no memories, but a secret that could release them all. Was it worth it?

I stood, taking a step forward in Zenith's direction before I stopped. I reached out my hand as if I could close the distance and grab his back. But it closed on air and he disappeared.

The memories of a man that told me to take his hand so he could set me free seven years ago were becoming blurry and all I could do was stare blankly where Zenith had been. Close my eyes and imagine the lines my hands needed more time to memorize. I could feel the tears behind my eyes, but I didn't let them go.

_I see you, Zenith. I can't stop looking at you._


	29. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28 - Which Price To Pay?**

It wasn't long after Zenith had left that we decided to stay for a few more days to get our plan figured out. Honestly I just thought it was to enjoy what peace we could have left. The others fell asleep quickly, but I had a harder time. My mind kept returning to Zenith even when I forced myself not to. Zan had disappeared as well and that didn't help me either. I kept flipping back and forth with thoughts of each. Maybe he had went to find Zenith. They'd both come back soon.

I felt my throat suddenly clog, scrambling to my feet and started running so I didn't wake the others. At least a half mile away where no one could hear me, I finally started to cough, much harder and longer this time. When my muffled cries finally died down, my hands were covered in shining wet blood. I grimaced, throat hurting, and headed for the river. The water washed away the sickness on my palms and I washed my mouth of the coppery taste.

"How long has that been happening?" a voice asked.

I turned ready to pull my blindfold off to defend myself only to see Zenith standing a few yards away from me, red eyes glowing with examination. "What are you doing here?" I growled, voice coarse. Feeling my heart give a little kick in both excitement and fear. I wasn't supposed to be alone with him and there was no one around and I wouldn't make it back without him cornering me

"I wanted to make sure you were alright," he stated easily, making my heart skip a beat as he came closer. "Let me see." I froze as he reached out, touching my mouth and skimming over my lips with his thumb gently. The gesture made me think things, unneeded things. Stuff I wasn't supposed to think about but they crept inside my head anyway. His touch was gentle, his fingers were warm, his lips I only needed to take a step and tiptoe to reach...

I smacked his hands away. "Stop it! Why do you do things like this? You don't need to concern yourself with me, I can take care of myself. I'm not this Anonymous girl that you keep thinking I am. We are completely different!" I yelled, feeling agitated and anxious as my pulse beating erratically and loud in my ears like never before at the mere graze of his fingers.

At the same time something in him seemed to snap. "You are her!" Zenith grabbed my shoulders and sent shocks of melting heat through me. At the same time I stiffened at his roughness and as if he noticed, he loosened and let go. "Maybe not the name you use or the same memories or the color of your eyes and hair, but I can see her in you. The way you act, the way you talk. Everything else is exactly the same. And when you came to this world you were looking for someone. Not some man in the mountains," he spat out, "but Zan, Luido, _me_."

I stared at him with disbelief. Something inside me sparked with a remembrance, but my mind couldn't grasp it. Like it was only a hair width away, but no matter what I couldn't manage that distance, in my mind the dust-covered room was still void and empty. "Is that what Julius told you? He's a master liar, you know. And good at manipulating."

Zenith glared at me and I felt slightly shocked he did. "You know that it's true. And I assume that Bliss told you everything. So why don't you tell me this secret of yours? Tell me what makes you hate your life so much."

"To risk being taken by Julius, just in exchange for some memories that may not even exist?" I asked incredulously, feeling my anger start to boil.

"Just tell me what it is! You don't need to find whoever that guy is, you should've been looking for me and I'm _here_, _I'll_ keep you safe. If you tell me you'll realize it too."

Finally my madness burst and without thinking and without a care, I slapped him so hard my hand stung. "What about you, you damned hypocrite?" I screamed, feeling tears prick me eyes, but I ignored them. "You tell me not to look for him but for you, yet you aren't looking for me either! You want that damned girl, Anonymous. Because you love her not me, you wouldn't give a shit about me if I didn't look like her."

"That's not true," I heard him say, but I kept going.

"You want me to be her, but I'm not. You tell me to look at you and stop for the other. And I have," I cried, my blindfold soaking. "Oh _God_ I have looked at you, Zenith. I don't understand how or when or even why I love you, but I've dreamed of you. And even before now, when you left me to find Bliss and Honey, it's like…" I paused clenching my hands. "It's like...I can't breath...without you." I gasped between sobs, feeling my breath shake but I remained steadfast when all I wanted to do was run and hold onto him, I was too shocked by my sudden and bold proclamation I had surprised myself with the truthfulness of it. I loved Zenith. The words played in my head and it was hard to retain my resolution to distance myself from him and act like he meant nothing when he so evidently did.

I noticed the side of his face turn slightly red from where I'd hit him. The sound echoed through me and it was like I'd hurt myself. But he didn't seem bothered at all, he just stared at me with red eyes that were just as stunned as I was and were slowly getting darker and melting back into black. At the same time I struggled to keep my legs from giving way from under me.

When movement finally registered as something I could do, I shook my head and looked down at my hands. "So don't tell me to look at you, Zenith. When you won't look at me either."

I didn't hear anything, didn't see anything, until I felt warmth envelop me like a soothing blanket. I was frozen with shock, my face against Zenith's hard, flat chest. His arms wrapped around me like a cage I didn't want to escape, nor could I because my legs had finally given up on me. He supported my weight easily, nuzzling his face into my hair and the crook of my neck. I could hear his heart drumming beneath my ear, sounding like music.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "That I made you feel like that. Ever since I saw you, all I've wanted to do is hold you, touch you, and kiss you until I can't breathe." The words sent electric thrills up my spine. My whole body tingled in anticipation, but my mind couldn't decide whether I should run or not.

"And I'm sorry," he said, pulling back slightly to look at me, lifting a hand and cupping my face, I shivered nervously beneath it. His fingers traced my jaw, nose, and finally my lips, so slow as if to memorize, or remember, each contour of my face. I couldn't do anything but revel under his touch.

Slowly, Zenith's hand moved up, fingers sliding beneath the wet fabric over my eyes and began to remove it. I stiffened more as my sight blurred and pulled back slightly, but a reassuring hand on the small of my back kept me from bolting. I reached up, placing my hands against his chest and clutching his shirt for dear life as I allowed him to pull the blindfold off. My breathing hitched anxiously as my vision of his face blurred to nothing. All I could do now was feel Zenith, running his hands gently over my fully exposed face. Unconsciously I leaned closer, feeling his warm breath glide across my skin.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, a little firmer, though breathy and rushed, "but I really need to kiss you right now."

Before I could respond, his mouth was on mine. Hot and possessive, burning like fire and making my blood boil and run like quicksilver. Nothing about this kiss was subtle or gentle, Zenith kissed me like his life depended on it. Soon I was kissing him back like he was air. My arms wrapped around his head, pulling him closer, down harder against my lips. My fingers dove through his soft, silky hair. Our lips melded, our teeth clashed, our tongues danced. His dark scent filled my nose, and his taste intoxicated me like delicious poison. In no way could this ever compare to my dream. It was so much better. It took effort to pull away even a millimeter to breathe before we were on each other again.

Zenith's hands gripped me tightly enough to hurt, but I didn't care. The closer I could get to him the better. I'd never felt so exhilarated in all my life. It was like I was standing on clouds and I'd fly away if it wasn't for his arms holding me. Not being able to see made the physical and mental limitations heighten to the nth degree.

I was able to pull away enough to bite his lower lip. He gave a growl that reverberated through my whole body in response. The feeling delighted me to no end, so I did it again.

Zenith moved his head, lips leaving mine and nipping my earlobe. "You are making it very hard to be gentle," he growled into my ear, voice deep and breathy. Filled with desire that made my body melt instead of freeze.

I couldn't help but laugh, my mind was so filled with him I didn't care about anything else but us. The world was just us. I trailed the tip of my tongue up his neck to his own ear, hearing him groan in pleasure and tasting the salty musk of his skin. "You call this gentle?" I asked, voice languid and seductive, things I'd never acted like before.

He snorted and I felt his hands move down my sides and under my butt before he hoisted me up. I squeaked in surprise, hands grabbing his shoulders for stability, legs on each side of his waist. The position made me feel exposed even with our clothes still on.

"As gentle as I can be at the moment," he replied, kissing and licking the upper part of my chest that my shirt didn't cover. Coming dangerously close to my breasts, making my breathing ragged with want, but for a split second my mind told me it was too much even though my body wished for so much more. So my hands cupped the sides of his face and I lifted it so my lips could meet his once more.

That one spark made my excitement die down and I really did kiss him gently. So soft it was like a feather against our lips. I felt tears slide down my nose and drip off onto his face, but I couldn't bring myself to care. This kiss I gave with all my worries, all my fears, desires, wishes. He kissed back with a promise and any final fight for my resolution fell apart like glass that had no hope of getting pieced back together.

"I'm afraid," I whispered into his mouth. "You'll disappear if I tell you. If I'm not who you want me to be." I kissed his lips again, he tasted like heaven.

I was glad in that moment that I was blind. I didn't have to see Zenith's face, in his eyes that might have held uncertainty or looked at me differently. But his voice made me certain I wouldn't have been disappointed if I could.

"I've been in love with you for thirteen years. Nothing can change that and nothing can make me leave. You are who you are, I just wanted you to remember me."


	30. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29 - Reasons Not Why**

"Isn't it a little ridiculous?" I asked, holding Zenith's hand and feeling every line and indent of it with my fingers, not even bothered by the fact I didn't know where he had stashed my blindfold.

"What is?" his chest rumbled behind me and into my back, I felt a chill up my spine from it. His legs were on each side of me, the left lying straight and the other bent up like a guard while I sat back against him, against a tree. I could feel his face nuzzling into the back of my neck and inhaling the scent of my hair. The motions were strange, but I found myself liking them.

"This," I said, flicking my finger back and forth. "Between you and me. Wasn't it too fast? I mean, I said I…love you. Isn't it strange?" The word felt weird coming off of my tongue not being sarcastic or to be made fun of.

Zenith chuckled into my hair. "Maybe for you, but I don't think so at all. Honestly, I wish it had happened sooner."

"Why? You don't seem surprised at all."

Again he laughed. "Believe me I am, I never thought it would happen."

I felt a little surge of annoyance. "You expected me to…love… you?" I asked with a hint of bitterness.

Zenith seemed to hear it and I could feel some of his good mood disappear. He moved his head away from mine and even though our bodies were still close and his hand was still clasped between mine, he felt distant and I felt empty. His chest expanded with a breath, but some of the words that came I knew weren't the ones he was going to say.

"Honestly, I didn't. I guess a part of me hoped…but that's not really important." Zenith tried to keep the sentence casual, but I caught to momentary pause.

"Liar," I accused. I lowered our hands onto my lap and looked at nothing, the dark sky, maybe. Or perhaps the world had changed and we were sitting in a cave that glowed with things I couldn't understand. Though I liked to think maybe we were on that beach again. My heart ached, but I said the words anyway. "It has something to do with Anonymous, doesn't it?" By the way Zenith kept silent, I knew I was right. "Tell me."

"No." It came almost immediately. Short and stubborn.

I sighed, dropping my head to the direction of our entwined fingers. I resumed letting the pads of my fingertips draw pictures in my mind of his large hands and long slender fingers. I briefly wondered what I would have seen him as if I never had the blindfold to help chisel the shape of his face. I knew I was being ignorant and selfish, perhaps that came from having people tell you who you might have been but aren't now. "It's alright," I said quietly. "If I am her, then I want to know. I won't get mad."

"But you don't believe you are," he stated.

Sighing, I leaned back further so my head rested against his shoulder. My eyes shifted to look at invisible things. "Because I'm not, but I wish I was. I wonder who the girl was that made you feel the way you do."

After a few agonizingly long minutes in silence, Zenith's head shifted and I felt his cheek rest against my forehead. A flood of relief washed through me. "We made a promise," he said. "Before she died that'd we'd meet again. Of course, I just thought it was a bittersweet thing to say because it wouldn't come true in the end, but you somehow have a way with keeping your promises. Never broke one as far as I know, even now."

I glanced at him, even though it was useless. The words rang true in my mind, though I didn't understand why. It was like I remembered things, but they weren't mine to remember. They were like flashbacks, movies of other people's lives and I was just the audience that wished I was one of the characters. It made me feel forlorn. I sat up, leaning forward so my back wasn't melded against Zenith's warm hard chest. I felt the cold instantly take it's place and I wanted to lean back again and forget about everything except being enveloped by his heat.

"Why did you love her? You said she was your brother's lover."

I felt Zenith nod. "I didn't know they were Souled at first. He treated her like the plague, but only after she kept running to him I realized what was going on. But I guess it's the fact you can't help who you fall in love with, or really why. I just did."

The empty hole inside me felt like it was getting larger, but I tried to play it off. "Why did you say she reminded you of your mother?"

Zenith seemed taken aback, but then laughed. "I just said that as a joke. I never knew my mother. I thought explaining all this to you earlier would ruin my chances or make you run off."

I scoffed, but I knew he was right. "Most likely. I still think you're insane with you're theory that I'm her."

"I don't care if you are her or not," Zenith's tone became serious. "We would have saved you from the demon the first time we met. And maybe it would've taken longer, but I think even if you didn't look so similar that you'd be the one to pull be from this one-sided love struck rut."

Deep inside, his words warmed my soul and closed up the hold a little, fighting against the nothing and emptiness. It helped me more than I could explain.

"Can't help but fall for the damsels in distress, right?" I rolled my eyes, his sarcasm was back once again.

"Now it's your turn," Zenith stated.

"For what?" I asked, knowing full well what, but feigning ignorance and feeling unjustly egotistic that I was the only one allowed to ask questions.

"Tell me about the man that saved you." I swear I could name every moment Zenith's attitude changed. It was beginning to make me think he was bipolar.

I shrugged. "There's really nothing I can tell. One day, I was finally going to give up, let myself turn into a mindless drone. Then before I could really understand what was going on, I heard someone's voice calling me back from the brink of death. He took my hand and lead me out, he told me I would be free. But the thought of such a promise and the certain possibility of getting caught again crept into my head and I told him I couldn't leave without Bliss and Honey. Even though I hardly knew them, they felt like my strongest supports. So he gave me the blindfold and lead me to them, I released their chains, along with Raven and Shawn, then we all ran like mad." I searched my memory of that day, scoured for any sound. Being able to see now drove me insane because I couldn't see then. "The stupid thing is… The others couldn't see him. Or hear him. I felt his hand on my back, pushing me forward while the others followed, he directed me. Finally, when we made it far enough we were safe for the moment and I was allowed myself to actually _see_ things, he wasn't there. Only four people whose faces I could finally place."

"But you didn't see this man?" Zenith asked skeptically.

I shook my head. "I think I saw him, I don't know. I know Bliss really doesn't believe it, but she'll stay with me because I saved her and support me even though she didn't hear the man."

"Why do you think he's in the mountains?"

Again, I shook my head. "Maybe it was because they were the first things I ever saw. It was strange, I knew what they were, what things were, without anyone having to tell me even though I'd never seen anything before. But I think that was where I saw him standing. In front of the mountains in the distance." I tilted my head, like it would help the early memories show. "He was there, but it was like he was see-through. And when night came, it was like he disappeared like smoke." I sighed. "I don't know, maybe he isn't real, just a figment of imagination. A last survival method."

Zenith was silent for a while. I knew he was thinking, the way his fingers kept flexing every now and again on my hand told me he wanted to say something, but didn't.

Finally I couldn't stand it anymore and asked, "What?"

"He's real," Zenith said. I turned to look at him. "When I met Julius, he said he knew a man helped you escape, a man 'that disappears like smoke in the darkness'. He didn't seem to like him very much, not that I can blame him." I heard faint hint of jealousy in his tone, but he covered it up quickly with a sigh. "I wonder why he didn't stay with you and protect you."

"I don't know either, I've always wondered that," I replied, feeling a stir of relief that someone, even if it was Julius, knew that the man existed. I wasn't making him up.

"Are you dead set on going to the mountains to find him?" Zenith asked, tone emotionless.

I hesitated in answering. Would he hate me if I said yes? "I-I don't know why," I stuttered in a whisper, but before I could finish I felt Zenith's lips soft on mine.

"I'll go with you. I'll follow you anywhere."


	31. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30 - Repeat**

Going back to camp was harder than I realized. Zenith and I prolonged our return as long as we could. Soon our little world would only be a memory and having this kind of privacy wasn't going to happen for a while. He knew Bliss didn't trust him and while I was around the others I still felt the doubt that she'd instilled in me. But for the moment, every second it was just us, I had no worries, nothing to take away from our time together and I trusted him with my soul.

We kissed like it was going to be the last time. Held each other close like we'd disappear if we let go. He made me feel alive; the heat of him gave me energy I'd never had before. The taste of his tongue coupled with the sweet words that he whispered gave me hopes I never allowed myself before. It could be possible, this happiness with just he and I. His touch sent shivers across my skin and made my heart skip beats. Perhaps it wasn't healthy, but I couldn't help loving it. Zenith didn't go too far, he seemed to know just how much of this I could take before my mind caught up with my heart.

When we came in sight of camp I felt like pulling him back and running, but I let our clasped hands slip from each other. The spaces between my fingers felt cold and it was all I could do not to grab his again. At least he kept closer than usual. I was able to feel the heat of him searing my side. It was strange that I could be so aware of him without even looking.

The blue fire was starting to go out, allowing the lighting gray of the sky to wake the others. Zan hadn't returned and for a moment I felt a little guilty. While I was with Zenith, he was all I could wish to remember, but what about Zan? I wondered what he really thought about me, and if I was his sister the guilt that I didn't wish to remember him above anything else ate at me.

Luckily, I didn't dwell on the fact for very long, since my newly acquired acute-awareness alerted me Zenith's fingers trailing lightly across the small of my back. Even though my shirt was between us, his touch seared my skin and it was like I could feel the throbbing life of him just through mere fingertips. Of course even in my pleasured haze I still had the nagging feeling that I couldn't forget about Zan. Where had he gone off to?

When I sat down the others were beginning to stir. Luido was the first up, like he didn't go through the sleep fog to being awake, his eyes just opened like he was blinking and he was up and at whatever caught his attention. Apparently, I was the first thing he noticed and he pounced on me like a puppy.

"Hey, you disappeared earlier. For a while I sat here contemplating what I should do but then I figured you'd gone with Zan except he left before you disappeared so then I thought maybe you went to look for Zenith which I didn't understand because he's hard to find even for me because he's so sneaky and stuff but here you are with him and Zan so I'm happy you made it back because I was going to go find you and bring you back in case you got lost but you didn't since you're obviously here so-"

He cut off when Zenith hit him on the head with his fist in annoyance. "Calm down, Luido, can't you see the expanse of your hyperactivity is zoning her out?"

Luido and I blinked and realization seemed to spark in his blue eyes. "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry here I am blabbing and-"

Before he could get started again Zenith asked, "Is there anything left to eat?"

That snapped Luido's attention immediately off of me and he smiled brightly. "I'll check." Then he went to rummaging through the more saggy looking backpacks.

Bliss yawned and sat up rubbing her eyes leisurely. When she caught sight of me all the sleep seemed to vanish and he eyes flicked to Zenith, who hadn't sat down and stood just behind me - I could feel the toe of his boot barely caressing my lower back. I felt Bliss's distrust and my insecurity of him was back. To show I heeded her warning I shuffled forward a little more, acting like I was trying to get closer to the fire to get away from his presence. Bliss seemed satisfied for the moment, 'cause her scrutinizing eyes left us and she helped Cinna to sit up while Honey and Shawn stretched.

No one said anything until Luido's frustrated moan made us all look his way. He turned to us with his eyes sad and his bottom lip sticking out in a pout. "There's only a few apples and a loaf of bread," he sobbed, like it was the end of the world.

"Give it to them," ordered Zenith as he stepped away from me and sat on a log a few feet away. I wondered if he noticed what I'd done to please Bliss, I felt the guilt beginning to crawl back into my mind like a spider. "We'll have to leave today if that's all that's left."

"So soon?" Honey's frail voice whispered, hardly noticeable. She gladly took an apple from Luido's reaching hands and handed it to Cinna, who hadn't said a word because her eyes were still half-open and not yet energetic like Luido. Cinna took the food and began to eat it slowly. "Where are we going?"

"To the mountains, of course," Bliss answered matter-of-factly, sounding ready to just up and go, but she bit at the torn piece of bread she'd been given. "It's where we've been headed all this time, no need to change direction."

"But we've traveled for so long and never seemed to get any closer," Honey said shyly, like she'd be reprimanded for complaining.

"We can get you there." We looked to Zenith who smiled reassuringly, but I saw tightness there. He still was obstinate about going, I felt like a fool for thinking he'd be resolute in his decision to take me.

"How?" Bliss asked, challenge in her voice.

Zenith's face didn't lose the smile, but his eyes hardened slightly and I had the urge to jump between them so I didn't have to watch the conflict. "Traveling by foot is too slow. If Zan and I transformed and travel like we did in the caves, we'd probably get the mountains before they can move farther away and actually make some progress. Besides, we don't tire as easily and we don't need to eat or sleep."

Luido had handed me what remained of our bread, but an unsettled feeling kept me from taking a bite. "Where is Zan?"

"I haven't seen him since last night," Luido noted, looking around curiously.

Then it was like all my worries for Zan sprung forth and I felt the uneasiness each time he'd left to go out on patrol. Each time it seemed he left and took longer and longer to come back. This time he'd stayed away all night, it didn't seem like he would do something like that, even if Luido and Zenith were there.

"You guys start heading out. Luido," he directed, "take care of them, I'll go find for Zan and we'll catch up with you later." He looked at me as he said the last part, I felt my body warm.

"Yes, sir!" Luido said, saluting him with his hand across his forehead. With that, Zenith left.

It didn't take long for us to head out. There was nothing to pack and we were all fully energized, maybe not to the extent of Luido, who pranced about like a bouncy-ball on the loose. Eventually he was stuck babysitting Cinna and entertaining her with strange childish games only they could understand. At least he had someone who had the strength to keep up with his antics the last few hours.

"Luido, are you always this hyper?" Bliss asked incredulously, though the laugh in her voice belied her amusement. She was more relaxed with just Luido here than Zenith.

It was like there were dust trails as he dug his heels into the ground to a halt. He turned to her with a large smile. "Yup," he confirmed happily.

"Don't you ever settle down?"

Luido started walking backward and tapped his finger against his lip in thought. "Not really. I used to read a lot to see if I could calm down, but it didn't work. What's the point of having so much energy and doing nothing with it?"

"Is that why you're so optimistic?" I asked.

Luido tilted his head, his smile brighter. "It's not worth getting discouraged all the time, being optimistic and keeping busy restores faith in myself. I can be calm if I need to be, and serious, but that's no fun." With that he turned and began to skip forward with Cinna running after him in squealing laughs.

I smiled and shook my head. From the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of a figure standing in the trees in the distance. I paused to do a double-take and the silhouette looked like Zenith standing with his back to me.

"What's wrong?" Bliss asked, making the others stop. She looked at the form watchfully. I turned to her and shook my head.

"I think that's Zenith, but I don't see Zan," I said. "I'll go see what they're doing, you guys go ahead." Before she could talk me out of it, I started to walk. A little spring in my step at the thought I might get to sneak in a touch if Zenith was alone.

I closed the distance as fast as I could before calling out. "Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you went to find Zan." It took a moment, but he suddenly seemed to realize I was there and he stiffened. My eyebrows knit together confused as he barely turned to look at me before he back to walk away. "Hey, where are you going?" I asked, grabbing his arm.

Under my touch he froze and I felt a little pain in my heart. At the same time I glimpsed something around his neck. Black marks that looked like a collar of tattooed feathers. I'd seen those somewhere before, but I couldn't place exactly where. My mind rang with warning and I let go of his arm. This wasn't Zenith, he didn't have those marks, they were a seal. He wore the same cloak and clothes and shoes, but he wasn't him.

"Xeno, get back!" I turned to see the real Zenith running toward me, scooping me up in his arms and placing me behind him defensively. His teeth were bared, canines longer than usual, and claws grown.

Zan came from ahead like they had intended to trap the stranger. Zan's sapphire eyes looked sad and pained as he looked at the man.

"Who are you?" I asked with confusion.

Then with a sigh, the stranger turned around reluctantly. My eyes widened as I took in his long black hair that fell into his eyes. Eyes that I recognized from the night I'd woken up. They stared at me now like they did from the forest. I felt my breath leave my lungs and I gripped onto Zenith's arm to stay standing. Because from where I was, I could have sworn I was looking at almost an exact replica of Zenith.


	32. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31 - Fate**

"Archer," Zenith growled, his eyes glaring with hostility but there was confusion in his voice. "What the hell are you doing here?"

I glanced between the two near-look-alikes. _Archer?_ I thought, but wasn't he supposed to be dead? I stared at the standing dead man. His face seemed harder than Zenith's, more prominent. The way he carried himself made him seem more masculine too, though they truly rivaled in looks. I had hard enough time believing he wasn't Zenith even though the real one I was clutching to.

"I could say the same for you," his brother spat out. "What in God's name are you doing in the Neutral World, Zenith? I know for a fact that you aren't sealed," Archer continued, he slid clawed fingers across the black marks on his neck. The motion made the sleeve of his cloak slip slightly and it revealed identical feather tattoos around his wrist. "Because this is the only thing that could send you here. Unless somehow that damned brother of Razili created a different seal." Archer's eyes narrowed at the thought. "You didn't go after him, did you?"

Zenith scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion, standing a little straighter though he remained tense in case he had to spring into action. "You're sealed here?" he questioned bewildered.

Archer snorted. "Of course I'm sealed here, you think I'd come of my own free will?"

"But," Zenith glanced at me and I saw something in his eyes cloud over. "You're dead."

At that his brother laughed. "Dead? Not even close. Trapped, more like. With an Angel's Promise I was sent here by Artanis Razili for trying to kill his children, to take their souls, and for Souling with his daughter." My breath caught and Archer tilted his head curiously. "Tell me, Zenith, I have been in this world for over 500 years, but how many have time not played with in the real world? What much time has actually been taken from me?"

"Nine years," Zan whispered from behind him. His eyes stared at the ground and his face was ashen. I felt my heart kick, Zan looked utterly defeated as he sagged against the nearest tree and slid to the ground limply. I wanted to run and hold him close to comfort him.

Archer glanced at him thoughtfully speaking softer. "Ah, not long, yet too long away from my love." The red of Archer's eyes died down, making him look gentler as they became black. "You must tell me too, what time you've come from. I've wondered why the true form of her baby brother was here - all grown up, at that - if only nine years have passed, why you aren't still a child?"

"We've been in this world for thirteen years," Zan replied tiredly.

Archer looked stunned. "And what in the Lord's heavens brought you here? You have no marks of imprisonment, nothing to keep you here. Did you really come willingly?"

"Wait a second," Zenith interjected still angry. "You knew we were here? Why didn't you show yourself?"

"I didn't want to cause anymore harm than I already have," Archer replied back calmly, which I think only upset Zenith more. "I didn't know _you _were in this world, nor this young one" -gesturing to Zan- "or Luido, until I saved this reincarnation from drowning."

Zenith tensed even more, his hand clamping over my own on his arm like I'd be spirited away. I stared confused.

"What?" Words finally formed in my mouth, but they were dry and strained.

"It surprised me, to see an older version of my Soul here in this world," Archer mentioned. "At first I thought she was Anonymous Razili so I saved her, I thought she had come to find me, that somehow she had found a way to get to me, but this one-" Archer pointed up and down at me "-is not _my_ Soul."

My mind reeled so much I felt dizzy. I hung onto Zenith for dear life. My eyes widened as images of the man that rescued me on the beach flashed. He'd kept his back to me, but I'd glimpsed the feathers around his neck, then he grabbed me so quick and I blacked out. "You," I whispered. "You saved me in the water?" All this time I'd thought it was Zenith.

Archer stared at me curiously and nodded slightly. "I sensed a half's soul from you and realized it was your brother's as we made toward the shore, and I sensed Zenith not too long after we'd made it to land."

Zenith gritted his teeth and spat. "So you just left?"

"I thought it best," his brother explained. "I had nearly killed the one meant for me, and I destroyed my chances of being with her." Archer laughed humorlessly. "I guess I took after our father. I was too afraid of dying to care for anything else until I saw eyes that freed me. I left because, even though I don't need to feed in this world, I was afraid that I'd take the brother's soul for myself. Old habits are hard to manage. And to kill him, I know, would be like killing her. I remember being sealed, I'd taken her parents, and he was all that was left."

"I don't understand," I managed to say, making the brothers look at me, I felt nervous. "You said that Zan was the true form and I'm a…reincarnation? So am I…her?"

Zenith stared at me as bewildered as I was. His hand never left mine and I was grateful for the support. He searched my face like he'd find the answers etched on my skin. I was thankful he couldn't see my eyes, what would they tell that I didn't know?

Archer shifted into a more relaxed stance. "To me, you are not. You bear some resemblances and mannerisms, but I am not Souled with you." Then Archer's eyes suddenly flamed red and the claws on his fingers grew longer and curved. "Which brings me to ask, why has my Soul been reincarnated?"

"Because she's dead," Zan's voice came just as lifeless as the words. He didn't look at any of us. He sat with eyes half-closed and staring off into the distance at a better place. "She died, thirteen years ago."

Archer turned on him, I could feel the menace I had felt before. Darkness beginning to fill the air around his form. But he didn't move to attack. I stood still, in case any movement triggered. His actions baffled me. So calm and serene one moment, malicious and spiteful the next. I could see where Zenith had gotten his swift mood swings from. His eyes widened.

"Dead?" he asked with disbelief, so much so I could practically feel his heart crack, hear it break. His body suddenly sagged and he fell to his knees and stared down at his hands. Even though I was terrified, I felt sorrow for him, and stared in surprise as actual tears fell down his face. I never thought that demons could cry. He looked like an angel had fallen from heaven. "How? Why am I still alive, then?"

Beside me, I felt Zenith relax a little further, probably taking pity on his brother's grief. The grimace on his face turned emotionless, but not completely hard. Even his eyes weren't so hateful now. "Not in your time," he said, loosening his hand from around mine. I slid my hands from his arm and without hesitating, latched our fingers together like a strengthener. "Time screws with our existences here."

"Then…" Archer mused, not seeming to notice the tears on his cheeks. "I am dead in your time too?"

Zenith nodded faintly even though his brother wasn't looking at him. Instead, he looked at Zan. "What a cruel games fate plays," he whispered.

Seeing Archer kneeling there in such abandonment, was that what being Souled meant? To love someone who was meant for you and hurt so much just for them. To care for their wellbeing no matter what happened to you. Ache for to be with them even when you were worlds apart.

Was that what it was? Fate? Fate that I was a reincarnation of a girl I didn't remember being? Fate of being her yet not at the same time? Meeting Zenith's dead brother who once might've been Souled with me. It made me wonder what Anonymous Razili would have thought of this situation. What had she done, what had _I_ done, to get caught up in such a mess? In a universe so vast as this, webs tangled and time controlled it all.

I knew happiness was too fleeting to last forever.


	33. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32 - A Victim Of Circumstance**

"If you were trying to stay away from us, why are you here?" Zenith asked.

Archer shifted from his despondent position on the ground to stand, brushing himself off like nothing had happened. "I was protecting them," he stated. "Zan and the girl, as well as the others they traveled with. It's strange, but you can call it a change of heart, that I would be protecting a fox." He chuckled to himself. "But I must protect those precious to my Soul."

"So what will you do now?" Zan spoke quietly, moving to stand as well, no longer looking quite so defeated, but the blue of his eyes wasn't as bright as they should have been.

Archer glanced at him fondly. "Since you've discovered me, I'm not sure."

Zenith was about to speak, but Zan's voice came first. "Why don't you come with us?"

"What?" Zenith asked critically, getting tense all over again, obviously taken back at the idea that was exact opposite of his. Zan looked over at him with something in his eyes that said he wouldn't be swayed from his offer. I knew Zenith wanted to argue, but Zan ignored any hostile air that he put off. Dousing it like a small flame.

Somehow we started moving. As we went, Zan and Archer walked together while Zenith and I paced a few feet behind. His hand never let go of mine.

Zan explained what had happened in their world. How Archer had been released from the seal and didn't remember anything. Going mad with hunger for souls. How Anonymous had taken care of him. The whole story made me feel like an outcast looking in. Hearing a story that I'd never really been a part of, but it made it all feel surreal. It was like Zenith and Zan had come back in time to warn him even though it was futile. But as Zan spoke, he became more lively than I'd seen him before. The color in his eyes brightened, even as he explained how Anonymous and Archer had sacrificed their lives in order to save him and the others.

From what I'd gathered, this Archer was not the one Zan knew. This one was the one Zenith knew from before. From Zenith's attitude toward him, they weren't on friendly terms. I didn't understand why since Archer seemed like a good enough person while he smiled and laughed at Zan's stories. Though there was a small part of me that remembered the malice his eyes carried when I'd saw them in the forest that night. The darkness that enveloped him seemed in complete contrast to the man who walked with us now. To them Archer was dead and had been gone thirteen years, and to Archer, whose seal would be broken, he'd in reality only been gone nine and hadn't touched death yet.

It wasn't long before we caught the others. Their steady pace halted for us to catch up. Bliss looked immediately suspicious of Archer while Honey and Shawn looked between Zenith and him with confusion. If they had thought Zenith and Zan had looked like brothers like I had, then Archer was a twin. Luido, however, had a reaction I didn't expect.

"Holy flaming butterflies!" he exclaimed, pointing a bewildered finger at the newcomer. "It's Archer!" His eyes were wide and from the white of them I sensed fear. This easygoing boy who acted like the world was one giant present, actually felt fear. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. Luido never seemed to have a care in the world for anything harmful. Cautiously, Luido got closer, analyzing Archer like he was a ghost. "I thought you were dead," he accused with confusion, then it was like something snapped in him and his usual habits were back. He laughed and shook his head. "Of course, we thought Anonymous was dead too but then we found Xeno who looks a lot like Anonymous but she doesn't think she is her but I do and if you're here and you look a lot like yourself then obviously you are you-"

"Luido be quiet," Zenith snapped with true annoyance, no brotherly tolerance in his voice.

"Everyone, this is Archer, Zenith's older brother," Zan introduced.

"He's sealed!" Bliss nearly screamed. "He's obviously more evil than you if he's got a feathered seal around his neck, just like the ones Julius has!"

I hesitated. I'd never actually _seen_ Julius before. All of him that haunted me was his lying voice and his hurtful touch. I knew he'd been sealed, but I'd never known what his seals would look like, but if they were like Archer's… I stared at him as he stayed silent to Bliss's accusations. Julius was the most powerful demon in this world, to have the same seal marks as Archer must've meant that Archer was just as powerful and combined with the malevolence his aura would give off, I could believe it now.

"He's not bad," Zan defended, stepping in front of him like a shield. "He is my sister's Soul and has been protecting us from any demons that search us out."

Bliss scoffed. "Yeah, right. Like I'm should believe you when you're a demon yourself."

At that it seemed my fuse had met its end. I could tolerate her hatred and mistrust for them, I understood it, but something about her detestable words about Zan made my anger spike. I stepped forward. "Then why are you here?" I asked harshly, making everyone look at me in surprise. "If you can't trust Zan or the others for that matter, then why are you here? Zan gave me his word that he wouldn't hurt us when we first met, he even gave his soul to me for a time to prove it. And these past months, the past few days, he's done nothing but care for us. So why shouldn't you believe him even if he is a demon?"

In the pause Bliss's mouth dropped with disbelief as she stared at me. We'd been friends for a long while, I'd always taken her advice and listened, but this was the first time I'd ever really been harsh to her on purpose. Leaving her behind when she was captured she could understand the instinct for survival, but perhaps not this. Her blue eyes hardened and she glared at me before looking away. "I trust you, Xeno. And if you trust them, then I can't help it, but I'll follow you," she admitted angrily with defeat.

I felt my anger disperse, walking up to her and setting my hand on her shoulder reassuringly. I gave a faint smile that everything would be alright. At least, I hoped.

"It may not mean much," Archer said behind me. We looked at him and he set his hand over his heart. "But I promise I won't harm any of you."

Bliss huffed and turned away. "Come on," she barked. "We have to get the mountains."

"The mountains?" Archer asked as we began walking. I ended up back beside Zenith, completely ignorant now of Bliss's warnings as I held his hand in mine.

"There's someone that Xeno's looking for," Luido chimed, skipping about nonchalantly once more.

I tensed slightly and glanced at Zenith, but he stayed quiet and acted like it didn't phase him though I knew it irritated. I squeezed his hand hopefully and he looked down at me and a faint smile played on his lips. It was enough to drown some of my apprehension so I could speak to Archer without too much anxiety about Zenith's feelings.

"Do you know a man who disappears like smoke?"

Archer glanced at me and I felt a chill run up my spine when his dark eyes lingered on my face longer than normal. "I know of him, but I can't say I know him," he replied. "I've been hiding in this world so as not to get caught up in political affairs, but it seems he is not on any demon's good side. Is that why you're heading to the mountains?"

I nodded. "Do you know if that's where he lives?"

"Sorry, I can't say for sure. Why do you want to find him?"

My nervousness came back then, except for a different reason I couldn't quite put my finger on. I shook my head like it was nothing important and stayed silent as we walked until dark. We hadn't even made it out of the woods, they somehow seemed endless.

"Do we have any food left?" Honey asked when we'd made camp for the night.

"Just half a loaf of bread," Luido replied, handing her what remained.

Honey took it hesitantly, glancing at me questioningly. I nodded for her to take it and I saw the relief in her body as she tore the food in pieces and shared it with Cinna.

"Are you out of food?" Archer asked rhetorically, standing from his leisurely laying position by the fire. "If you'd wait here, I'll find something for you."

"How are you going to do that?" Zenith finally spoke with harsh criticism beside me. It seemed that every move I made he took notice of it, he never left my side once since Archer had arrived and I had a sinking feeling.

Archer didn't seem to notice. "When you've been here long enough, you get bored and try things you've never done before," he explained. "Like eating. And it's not too hard to find those annoying humans on their motorcycles." I saw a glint of mischievousness in his eyes as they turned red.

"I'll go with you," Zan volunteered, making sure his blue flames would burn for the night before standing.

It was like Zenith knew what I was thinking before I did. He stood up immediately. "I'll go too." His eyes gleamed red as he glared at his brother. He wouldn't refute Zan's will to go, but he didn't trust Archer enough to let them go alone. It could have been the perfect time for Archer to steal Zan's soul and never come back, and if he did that then their histories would change. I wondered briefly what exactly would happen if Archer managed to change his destiny, but when Zenith looked down at me with loving eyes that promised his return, I didn't dare think about it.


	34. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33 - A Game Of Chance & Happenstance**

"Okay, Luido, start talking," Bliss ordered from her place by the fire. Her blue eyes questioning, arms crossed.

Luido paused his current game with Cinna, who sat between his knees while he sat higher on a log. Disappointed at his sudden inattention she grabbed his hands and began playing a different game with them by herself. "Um, okay," he said a little confused, but immediately smiled. "One time I was outside and I found this beetle on a branch and the colors on it shined like a rainbow, so without really thinking I picked it up and ate it, but it didn't taste as good as I thought it would-"

"Stop! Stop," Bliss commanded, unable to hold back the smile and quiet laugh that emanated from her. "Not just _talk_, I mean, spill. About Archer," she clarified before Luido could misinterpret her again. "When he showed up you seemed like you were about to shit yourself and then suddenly it was like you were best friends. What gives?" I stared at her, but she was careful not to look at me. Apparently trusting me was being questioned since I hadn't made any move to get away from Zenith earlier and had reprimanded her retort about Zan.

Luido hesitated and looked down, watching Cinna cover her eyes with his hands before quickly removing them in a game of peek-a-boo. His blue eyes were suddenly serious and had, in my opinion, darkened quite considerably from the normal bright and shiny child he acted like. The smile on his face disappeared as well and I had the urge to tell him he didn't have to talk if he didn't want to, but another part of me had wanted to ask about his reaction too.

"Oh, uh…" He stammered and shifted uneasily under Bliss's gaze. Then as if deciding telling the truth wouldn't hurt anyone, he looked up easily, though the life in his eyes hadn't exactly come all the way back. "You see, Kai and I can sense a demon's aura to figure out what kind they are. When he showed up I thought he was the Archer from before, not the one Anon was Souled to. I mean, he's the same Archer, but he's not. There's still a sadistic malice he has from before, but there's a quiet kindness from when I saw him as Anon's mate."

Bliss huffed. "Yeah, I got the whole 'danger' warning as soon as I saw him. Even if he says he won't hurt us." She shook her head in disbelief, coming to her own conclusion about the older brother.

For a few seconds Luido was quiet and just stared down at the child between his feet. "Archer…was not a good man before he was sealed. If he was just as evil as he was then now, I don't think any of us would be alive…" He gave a quaint smile down at Cinna, who stood and walked around him to play hairdresser. His tolerance of the toddler was astounding even in a serious conversation. Quickly he put a little more cheer in his voice and smiled a little wider. "But he doesn't seem to be hostile to Kai, so I trust him."

"What about Zenith? He seemed to be shooting daggers at him."

Luido's smile faltered and his attempt to reassure and cheer up the mood was squandered by Bliss's ongoing negativity. "Well, Zenith… I really don't know anything. He and Archer used to be really close before Archer got sealed."

Rolling her eyes, Bliss sighed sarcastically. "Great, two warring demon brothers and Zan seems to be favoring the more dangerous one."

"Like I said, Archer doesn't seem all that bad to me. Before he was really mean and boisterous and would kill anything that looked at him wrong or kill anything just for the fun of killing it." The color of his eyes darkened for a moment and he stared off into space, likely remembering something horrific, for he cringed at the thought. "He's really different now. Just give him a chance."

"Different or not, I still think he's bad news."

Finally, Bliss's gaze moved over to me as if I'd acknowledge the fact and agree with her. Except in truth I was caught between a rock and a hard place. There was nothing about Archer that made me immediately dislike him, despite his dark aura, and - though I couldn't be sure - his quiet and observational manner made him seem more civilized than even Zenith. Those things were at the forefront of my mind, but in the back there was a thought that questioned my relationship to him. Even when I denied it and told myself that Zenith was the one I wanted to be with, a nagging feeling drew me involuntarily to Archer. It was a dangerous feeling, and according to Zenith's emotional state about his brother, not one I was willing to explore further.

But the more I denied it, the more my stomach became tight and uncomfortable. Archer had said he wasn't Souled to _me_ exactly, but to my past life - I guess being told time and time again the same thing finally had me start to believe it even a little. Except this nagging thought that whispered like a snake in my ear had me wondering. Even if Archer wasn't Souled to me, what if - by being reincarnated - I was still Souled to him?

* * *

_**Zenith - Third Person**_

The lying undercurrents of Zenith's anger were hard to manage, but just the thought that he'd found his brother here, sealed from the past, was enough surprise to keep him from lashing out. Though that was what the demon inside of him wanted. Pressing for bloodlust and violence against his brother. It was so tempting to change and attack… But with Zan there, talking and acting like he had when he was younger, also helped in keeping his calm. He hadn't seen the kid quite so lively since his sister had died. A part of him was miffed at the idea that Archer could bring the kid out of his quiet demeanor. Zan was like a younger brother to him and seeing him being so friendly to his biological brother made him feel like the left out foster child. These thoughts only fed his demon and urged for blood to satisfy himself.

Shaking his head, Zenith shooed away the ideas and suppressed his demonic side as best he could. Groveling in self-pity wasn't going to get him anywhere. It only served to get him more angry and more hateful. Things he didn't want to be.

Before he realized, they stopped at the edge of the forest and laid out before them was a land blanketed with white soft snow. Flakes fell from the perpetually gray sky in a sprinkle. The air was significantly cooler, though he'd hardly noticed since nothing really effected demons, and made the breath in his lungs come out in puffs. It was obviously colder than he understood. Judging by the frozen wasteland, he wondered how exactly Archer was going to get food for the ones they'd left behind.

It had killed him to do it, but Xeno was beginning to feel something for the demons she was with and when Zan had volunteered to leave with Archer she'd tensed subconsciously and he forced himself to go as his protector. To reassure her that he'd keep Zan safe even if she didn't understand why she was worrying. Anon never would have willingly put her brother in harms way. Zenith was sure that if the woman could, she would have locked him up for the rest of his life. He mentally smiled at the idea. Yes, Xeno was Anonymous even if she didn't believe it.

"So where's this banquet?" he asked skeptically, eyeing the vast field of nothing but fluff.

Archer turned his head toward him slightly, but didn't answer. Instead he began to walk forward and at times sniffed at the air. His detached emotion pissed Zenith off and he suspected his brother knew it, but Zenith would be damned if he let it show. It just stoked the fire of his inner demon even more.

"This way," Archer stated boredly, nodding to the right. It wasn't even ten minutes later that the rumble of engines shook the air and a band of three hunters appeared before them.

"Well, boy, let's see what you got," Archer issued a challenge, a mischievous glint in his red eyes as he looked over at Zan.

A smile curled on the fox's face and in quick crunch and snap he was on all fours, his fur blending in almost perfectly with the snow on the ground. It was falling thicker too and made him look like a ghost in the haze of when he ran off toward the motorcycles. They screeched and halted, but Zenith scented no blood in the air as he watched the fox take down the humans with ease, no death either indicated Zan had just rendered them unconscious. Indeed, Zan wasn't a sadistic demon like the rest, Archer's presence hadn't rubbed off on him…yet.

"I want you to leave," Zenith stated with carefully restrained emotion, staring straight ahead.

Archer didn't seem deterred by the order and didn't glance at him in question. Instead, to Zenith's surprise, he sighed and looked down as a sign of submission. "I know," he replied without any feeling of sadness or anger, just as emotionless as he'd been from before as if he'd expected Zenith to say as much. "I was thinking the same thing."

"Were you?"

Archer nodded. "I…know I was not a good man, Zenith, back in our realm. Even with Anonymous as my Soul, my demon cannot fully submit to her in this world. I'm a danger, to her reincarnation, her friends, to Zan." He paused and finally did look at his brother solemnly. "To you."

Zenith tensed under his brother's gaze, his demon side taking the words as a challenge of strength, which he had to fight hard to keep from reacting to. The mental battle was strenuous until Archer looked away and back at Zan, who waved for them to come.

"However, I cannot just leave it will be too difficult. But if you will allow I will find a means to dismember myself from your sights and from their lives." Archer stopped, looking fondly with a slight smile at his Soul's little brother. "It seems I have ruined enough lives to not be given a third chance."


	35. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34 - Distances**

During the walk back, Archer didn't seem disturbed by Zenith's sudden order. The idea baffled him to no end. Sure they had been close before Archer had been sealed, like brothers should be, but Archer was always the Alpha of the two wolves. Not that Zenith had minded, perhaps it was the little brother syndrome of following any order from the older sibling. But now that the tables had turned, Archer didn't even seem to care that his brother had taken on the lead role. It really was like the being Souled had changed him to a less rash, quiet and considerate person, which by all means he never was back in their realm.

Zan hefted the backpack he'd taken with them full of food stuffs. It wasn't much, but enough to last the humans. While they were searching for the items Zenith had a suspicion that Archer had challenged the boy so that they'd have a moment alone. Like he could read Zenith's mind and allow him a second to say what was on his mind. If he'd done that with the Archer he knew he would have been hit upside the head and called an idiot.

Zenith stayed quiet as he followed the two in front. The calm demure Archer relayed while he listened to more stories about Zan irked him slightly, but a part of him felt more at ease now that he'd gotten his brother's thoughts on leaving them. _The sooner the better, _he thought. Not only for the sake of the humans, but for Zan, and Xeno.

Ah, Xeno. Her face swirled in his mind and made him feel like he was walking on clouds. With all the snow on the ground, one could be fooled into thinking he really was. It had surprised him when she'd confessed, quite unintentionally he noticed, that she'd fallen in love with him. Though the revelation hadn't fazed him for very long. His heart jumped at the prospect and felt like it was going to burst at the idea. For so long he'd harbored feelings for Anon, but the more he compared Xeno to her, the more he found himself drawn to Xeno. There was something else there with her that he couldn't quite identify. With Anon there seemed to be something missing, yet with Xeno, she presented everything. Even though he could see that the woman was distraught, untrusting, damaged, a protective instinct from his inner demon shocked him. All he wanted to do was hold her and tell her everything would be alright. Nothing else mattered but her. Shaking his head mentally, Zenith returned from his musings. Noticing the slightly fast pace of his heart dying down. Damn, but he wanted to be with her right now.

Glancing at Zan, who animatedly told Archer about when Anon had spray painted the principals office of their school, hand gestures and all, Zenith caught sight of the young boy he'd met so many years ago. No doubt if nothing had happened to his sister then this is what Zan would have grown up to be. Carefree like her, levelheaded but mischievous. It was a shame it wouldn't last since Archer wouldn't be with them much longer. The idea of Zan returning to his usual quiet and reserved self was regrettable.

Zenith and he were as close as brothers could be, but Zan had an independent streak like his sister and wouldn't allow himself to be monopolized, which was why Zenith supposed he was jealous of Archer for. Zan was friendly with everybody if he wanted even if it didn't sit well with Zenith. Once Archer was gone he wondered what would happen to the young man. He knew Zan wasn't sure how to perceive Xeno, didn't know what to do or act like around her, but there was a part of him that cared to think she was still his sister even if he didn't openly admit it.

The snowfall was letting up enough for the edge of the landscape to be seen. The sky looked like a dull shade of light brown that made the place look like it had been hit by the apocalypse. If nuclear warfare had ever made history this is what would have been left in its wake. Only the crunching of snow under feet gave any hope that life would even exist, but of course demons couldn't be killed by manmade things no matter how strong and destructive.

The sight of tall tree trunks void of any leaves made Zenith's pulse quicken. They were almost there, he could just smell Xeno's earthy scent, it made his head swirl with intoxication. The feel of her lips on his and her taste in his mouth did nothing to help clear his head. God, it was like he drunk.

However, as he followed the other two into the woods, Archer's presence somehow became more evident and sobered him up. Now the closer they got to the others, the more tension he felt which didn't help trying to maintain his demon from breaking out and attacking. It was a strange thing, he'd never been riled up so easily before. Ever since he'd met Julius he'd been on the edge of tipping and now couldn't seem to get back his rein. Everything, no matter how insignificant, seemed to set him off in some unreasonable way and he knew it, but couldn't help himself.

Suddenly the world began to shake. An earthquake rattled the trees, sending them swaying and some tumbling to the ground. Zenith glanced back toward the apocalyptic landscape to see the snow burst from the ground and the land shifted. The cold air suddenly seemed to be sucked away, replaced by dry heat. In a blink, the snow was gone and replaced by a field of grass that swayed in a light breeze. The clouds in the sky dispersed and let the sun shine down. Everything changed except the trees they stood in.

"Let's go," Archer stated boredly, turning to head off. Zan followed quietly, glancing back a few times at the newly formed view.

Zenith stood still, staring across the valley and lazy rolling hills of green. The land was beautiful but held and ominous feel in its peaceful look. The blue sky was so open it seemed like it would swallow anything that stepped out into the open space. Even the grass looked like it would grab a hold of anyone who stepped on it and devour them whole. Something about the place didn't sit well with him. Especially the part where, across the meadow, the mountains from the distance were only a mere hundred yards away.

* * *

_**Xeno - First Person**_

We waited for a while. A few days, in fact. Days that were spent - by me mostly - wondering what was taking them so long. Archer had said it would be easy, but three days seemed ridiculous, especially for supposed powerful demons. All of us were on edge and practically starving. Cinna wouldn't stop crying unless Luido distracted her, but even now his attempts were being met with the cruel ignorance of hunger. Honey, as usual, didn't say anything and Shawn seemed to mirror her in any way possible, which didn't help with the arguments Bliss and I would have every few hours.

"We need to leave," she said.

"We can manage a few more hours," I replied.

"You said that yesterday and we're still starving."

"They'll be back soon," Luido chimed in, hopeful and refusing to believe badly of his friends.

"Yeah, right. We need to get moving or else we're going to die here."

"We're as good as dead if we leave," I stated. "We don't know where any food sources are and we'd probably get caught first anyway. We just need to wait until they get back."

"Good Lord, what has gotten into you!" she screamed, standing and pointing an accusing boney finger at me. The past three days were showing on her now even thinner body. I could see the bones of her shoulders, her shirt seemed more loose around her abdomen. No doubt the hunger was driving her mad. I could relate, but I refused to let it get the better of me. "If we hadn't met these fucking demons you'd be pushing us onward without relenting. Suddenly you're relying on demons?"

"It's better than what I've done for us," I snapped, standing as well. "Believe me I do want to just leave, that's what everything in me is screaming for, but we won't make it without food and I'd end up pushing you to death. Is that what you want? Damn it Bliss, think reasonably. These demons haven't done anything for us not to trust them, you can have your prejudices but at least have some hope."

Snorting, she looked away as hell bent and pissed as I've ever seen her. She didn't say anything more and sat down in a huff, likely coming up with more to argue about in our next go around. I understood where she was coming from, I wanted to follow instinct, but my feet wouldn't move. Something held me back and made my heart feel like it was being pierced each time I thought about leaving Zenith, leaving Zan, behind.

As if on cue, there was rustling in the bushes and twigs snapping. We all turned to see Archer and Zan make their way through the trees. Following them, Zenith's eyes immediately locked with mine. The hollow feeling I had when he left disappeared and it felt like I could breathe again. I glanced at Zan, who pulled off the now bulging backpack and set in on the ground. Almost instantly everyone's stomach growled with hunger at the sight of it.

"Miss me?" Zenith teased, stepping closer with a smirk on his face but it didn't reach the wary hardness of his black eyes.

I rolled my eyes and hit him in the chest eliciting a satisfying grunt from him. "What the hell took you so long?"

He looked at me quizzically. "What are you talking about? We were only gone for a few hours." Then it seemed to dawn on him. "Oh hell, how long has it been?"

"Three days," Bliss growled, not waiting for food to be handed out as she took the backpack and gave whatever contents to the others and biting into whatever it was that suited her fancy.

I sighed and looked up at Zenith. "Sorry," he whispered. I shook my head. Time wasn't something he could control.

"There is something that might please you, though," Archer said from his position leaning against a tree. His stature was bored as he watched everyone eat. Zan came over and handed me a pear.

I took it gladly and looked at Zenith. His eyes were hard as he looked at his brother. His body was tense beside me and I stared at him nervously.

"What?" I asked, glancing between the two of them, but they seemed locked in a staring contest. Finally I looked at Zan, his hands in his pockets and looking slightly uncomfortable with the silent feud.

"The mountains," Zan stated. "Are just outside of the forest."

Then it was like time froze and my heart sped so quickly I could swear it wasn't beating anymore. The man from my escape was so close, but I hesitated at thinking what I would do when I saw him.


	36. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35 - The Soul Is A Theory**

At the moment, my mind was torn between so many ideas I couldn't concentrate. One part felt the excitement that the mountains had phased so close and I just wanted to take off toward them. However, my feet kept me frozen in place because I wasn't sure what would happen if I found the man I was looking for all this time. I glanced over at Zenith to Zan then to Archer. Such a befuddled mess.

On the one hand I wanted to get my memories back and figured the mystery man could help with that, but what if he couldn't? And under the condition of Julius that I told Zenith something that would likely disgust him, he'd never want to kiss me again, my heart skipped at the thought and I felt bile rising up my throat.

On another, what would happen if I got my memories back? Julius would surely come for me, but what would the mystery man do? He'd saved me once, would he do it again? Or would Zenith save me like he promised if he didn't find me repulsive? Then there was the lingering thoughts about Archer. It wasn't that I loved him like I did Zenith, but something about him kept me alert and my attention drawn. If I got my memories back of him, would I be reSouled with him? What would Zenith think of me then?

I shook my head, it was all just so confusing I wanted out. Running would be easier than facing all this. For a brief second I wished I had never met the demons that had changed my life. Things had been so much simpler and defined, but now they were just a chaotic mess.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Bliss asked, standing up excitedly. "Let's get going before the world changes and they disappear." She looked at me pointedly, waiting for me to agree, but my mind was too far gone to really focus on anything. Sighing in exasperation, she gathered up the backpack and snuffed out the fire. Holding a hand down to Honey and helping her up to her feet. Before I realized she was standing in front of me glaring icy daggers. "Well come on, this is what you've been waiting for." Grabbing my hand she pulled despite my resistant feet and dragged me along while pushing Zan to lead the way.

Suddenly my mind seemed to snap back to reality and I jerked out of her grasp. "I can walk by myself," I stated a little more agitated than I meant to sound. I looked around to see Zenith coming toward me, his eyes guarded, and I tried to smile reassuringly though I wasn't sure if I succeeded. Without a word he walked beside me, but he never made a move to grab my hand or even touch me. The lack of contact made me feel forlorn. Was this what it would be like if I asked for my memories back?

I stopped walking. Zenith paused mid-step and glanced back at me and for a moment I could see something behind his gaze, red faintly swirled in the black depths, warring with each other for dominance. I smiled slightly, waving my hand for him to keep going. After a second's hesitation he started walking again without looking back. The action briefly filled me with grief when a part of me had hoped he'd stay, but another part of me still whispered my impending betrayal to him and wanted to be left alone, yet a third pondered at the struggle I had just seen in his eyes.

"Something the matter?" I turned to see Archer standing beside me and felt my heart kick against my chest as I gulped nervously. The others were a few yards ahead of us now and when I glanced to see what Zenith was doing he seemed completely oblivious which was unlike how he'd acted with Archer around me before. When I didn't respond, Archer continued. "If there is anything I can help with, please ask. Though it may have taken some time, I've learned to become a good listener."

I looked at him warily before starting to walk again, he followed quietly waiting for me to say something. After a minute it became almost unbearable. My thoughts were overflowing in my brain. "I don't know if I should find the man in the mountains," I stated, feeling a slight relief at my confession.

"Why is that?"

Despite my reservations about Archer, his presence gave me a sense of calm which I rather liked. Zenith did too, but perhaps it was because in a way Archer was still a stranger that it didn't feel so hard to talk to him. "I've been wondering about my memories. That maybe the man could help me get them back, but…" I glanced at him from the corner of my eye sheepishly. "You said you were Souled to me before, but not exactly _me_ now." Archer kept silent. "I just wonder if…if I get my memories back if I'll be…Souled…to you again."

A weight lifted from my shoulders at the confession. No way would I have brought the idea up to Zenith, he'd likely have a bipolar attack or lose whatever inner war I sensed he was having. Now a different weight settled as I waited for Archer's response.

Surprisingly, he didn't seem concerned about my worry. Instead, a smirk played on his lips as he stared ahead. Then after a few seconds he sighed at looked down at me with a the reassuring smile I had been trying to find earlier. "I believe you are misplacing your feelings," he said quietly.

"What?"

Chuckling, he glanced at Zenith. "I've had a theory ever since I've met you and the others. Heard the stories from Zan and observed Zenith's behavior around you."

"What's the theory?"

Smiling knowingly, Archer returned his gaze to me. "The idea of once being Souled to me is hindering you from seeing the real thing. However, I also believe that these missing memories of yours aren't helping the situation either."

"What are you talking about? Speak plainly and stop beating around the bush."

At that he smirked. "What I am saying is because you don't remember who you are without your memories, you, nor even Zenith, can see that you two are Souled."

I gasped. "Souled? With…" I looked ahead of us at Zenith.

"Indeed. Whatever memories the demon had stolen from you has also taken away the connection you have with my brother, so neither of you know what each other feels, mentally, emotionally, or physically. That is why you are attracted to him, even if you didn't know. The idea of being Souled with me is misplacing your feelings."

I stopped and stared at him in utter shock. Me? Souled with Zenith? Had it always been like that? Since the very beginning when I didn't know him, was I already Souled to him. Before I could ask, Archer continued, setting a gentle hand on my back to keep me walking.

"I am Souled to your predecessor, not you, and you were always meant to be Souled to my brother. Would you like to hear my theory?"

I nodded silently.

"I believe that Anonymous could have been Souled to either Zenith or I. She always had a unique soul. It was by chance I was the one to encounter her first and I was the one who became her Soul. I think if Zenith had found her first instead, then he would have been. Now that you are here as her reincarnation, I believe that you are the part of her soul that was meant to belong to Zenith."

Again I stopped in my tracks, making Archer stop with me. He looked down at me curiously, amusement playing in his eyes as he waited, but I was too stunned to do anything, my mind was blank. So he chuckled and poked me on my forehead. "After all, I've heard Anonymous never broke her promises." Without waiting for a reply he began walking, leaving me behind in a bewilderment.

* * *

"Xeno? Xeno, are you alright?"

My body shook and I felt my head clear as I blinked rapidly. Zenith stood in front of me with his hands on my shoulders looking a bit concerned. I looked around, surprised I hadn't noticed we were standing at the edge of the forest. A vast field of green grass and blue sky in front of us that contrasted with the dead darkness of the forest. The sun shined brightly and the fresh air filled my lungs. On the other side, the steep ascension of stone mountains.

"Sorry," I said, blinking a few more times like it was all a dream. I spied Bliss and the others running about on the prairie, laughing and smiling happily while Zan stood beside Archer watching over them. My gaze lingered on Archer and the revelations he'd given me. Still I was shocked over them, but my head no longer worried over him. Now my only worry was for Zenith.

Did he know we were Souled? He hadn't mentioned it to me, but maybe he thought it would scare me away. In all likely hood it might have. Except now I was happy about the fact. My abrupt confession to loving him didn't seem so idiotic now. I'd always loved him, was always meant to love him. Even if it was just Archer's theory, I still took pride in the idea.

However, there was a part that doubted Zenith himself. He loved me, I knew that. But to be trapped being Souled to me, forced to love me, what would happen if I ever told him the truth? I shook my head mentally. It was a simple solution: I wouldn't tell him at all.


	37. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36 - Is It What You Wanted?**

"Zenith?"

"Hmm?" He turned to look at me, the war of red and black in his eyes seemed to have quieted down since I'd last seen him.

"Archer told me," I whispered cautiously, glancing warily at him, but he made no change in behavior. "That you and I are…Souled. Did you know that?"

Zenith stopped walking, glancing at the others who ran across the field without any care in the world before looking back at me. "I wasn't sure," he admitted. "Being Souled means sharing everything with the other half. Pain, pleasure, what you think. But with you it's like…I feel a connection, but it's hazy. So I figured it was just my imagination."

"Archer said that it might be because of my missing memories that our Soul isn't as evident."

He nodded. "It's possible." Setting a hand tenderly against my face he stroked my skin with his thumb. "Julius has taken so much from you that he's stolen from me too."

I could feel the tears at the edge of my eyes and I was glad that the blindfold wouldn't allow him to see. I forced them back and smiled sadly. "I wish I had met you before he found me."

Tilting his head at me, he leaned forward. "I have," he whispered against my lips.

I breathed in as he exhaled, tasting his air on my tongue, filling my lungs with it like nirvana. With his forehead against mine I felt invincible to the world. If we could have stayed there I would have been happy for the rest of my life. However the moment was over too soon when Archer yelled.

"God damn it!" We turned to see him grasping his left arm, blood seeped through the sleeve of his cloak and dripped down his fingertips.

"What's going on?" Zan asked, his voice in slight panic as he nervously watched. "Are you alright?"

Zenith and I ran over to him and I felt a wave of nausea hit me as I watched his blood stain the ground. His fingernails had grown out into claws and gripped the bleeding appendage so hard I thought he'd break his own arm. Something about it must've struck Zenith because I felt his hand grasp mine and squeeze. I would have cried out had it not been for the hard look on his face. His eyes were so wide that the whites of them dominated his irises, he looked like he was about to go insane.

"Zenith?" I asked, with my free hand touching the side of his face.

Blinking out of his trance he looked at me haphazardly and tried to smile. "Sorry, it's nothing." I raised an eyebrow at him but didn't question further.

Archer chuckled breathily and stood up straighter, tearing at the sleeve and pulling the blood-soaked fabric from his arm. I gasped at the sight of two long lines from his elbow to the palm of his hand and two smaller across his wrist. The blood stained his skin, but already seemed to be drying. The wounds were angry red but started to close and heal quicker than I'd ever seen.

"Zan…" he sighed, running his fingers gingerly across the cuts. "When did Anonymous cut herself?"

Looking at Zan he seemed petrified. Staring at Archer's arm with a look of fright. Something was playing in his blue eyes like he was remembering. He swallowed dryly. "Thirteen," he replied. "She was thirteen, but she said that it wasn't suicide, she just felt like she was going crazy." He blinked and for a moment I could have sworn I saw a shimmer of a tear in his eye. "That emptiness was eating at her and she had to get it out."

Dropping his arm to his side, Archer sighed again. "Damned Soul. I really am a useless partner." He looked up at Zan. "Forgive me, it's all my fault."

"What are you talking about?" Bliss asked. I hadn't even noticed the others had come up.

I glanced at Zenith and he spoke. "Once you're Souled to someone, you take their pain and share their wounds." He looked down pointedly at me and I looked away. I wasn't sure if I should have been disappointed that our Soul wasn't exactly perfect or happy over the fact that Zenith didn't have to suffer the same things I had. I couldn't imagine all the scars on my body mirrored on his.

"Well that's ridiculous, what's the point of that?" Bliss asked skeptically, folding her arms across her chest.

Archer laughed quietly. "I don't know if you've ever heard of the Bible? But it is written there that he who hurts his wife, hurts himself. In turn, if you hurt yourself, you hurt the other. It is…a blessing really, even if it doesn't seem like it." He looked up, closing his eyes against the sun that shone on his skin and smiled. Then he lifted his arm and kissed the wounds that had turned into silver scars, staring at them fondly. "Funny… The emptiness _is_ gone."

Dropping his arm he glanced at all of us and smirked. Obviously having an audience amused him. "Well," he said. "I should my leave then."

I tilted my head at him while Zan asked, "Leave? Leave where? Why?" The sudden change in topic seemed to catch him off guard.

Archer smiled sympathetically. "It's been nice, getting to know you. Again. But to be honest I can't stay any longer."

"Why?" Zan pressed, looking like he was about to have a panic attack.

Seeing this, Archer set his hand on Zan's shoulder as if to stabilize him. "You'll be alright Zan. It's not that I want to leave, but it's a miracle that I've been able to be around you this long without taking your soul. Even though this world staves off the hunger, it doesn't change the fact that I can still take it." He shook his head. "I've made a lot of mistakes in my lifetime, but for once I will not test fate." Taking a step back he smiled and poked Zan on the forehead. "Besides, everything will be alright in the end. And if it's not alright…" He shrugged. "Then it's not the end." With that he turned and started walking.

"Are you really going?" I asked, feeling just as stunned as Zan, though he seemed to have frozen in place. Archer glanced back at me but didn't stop walking. "I never got to thank you for saving me out on the ocean, so thank you," I said, bumbling out words, not exactly sure what to say. It was just so strange that I'd grown accustomed to his presence in so little time and suddenly he was leaving. Though I guessed my reaction was also in response to Zan's alarm.

Smiling and with a wink Archer faced forward and in a blink, a sound like a loud crack echoed through the air and sudden a large black wolf trotted away and disappeared back into the trees of the forest without looking back. I stared after him in astonishment before glancing up at Zenith. His hand had loosened around mine and his stature wasn't as tense and rigid. His eyes stared blankly after his brother, but he had a feel of relief about him.

* * *

It took until the sun had set that Zan finally moved. He had stood in the same spot since Archer left, staring after him absentmindedly like he'd reappear. When he finally seemed to come back to himself he acted like nothing had happened. Literally, it was like Archer had never been there. Zan reverted back to being the quiet and distant man I'd first met. His demeanor was like the world had been taken from him; it made my heart ache and something inside of me wanted to run and hug him and tell him it would all be okay, but I couldn't. How would he react?

"Is he going to be alright?" I asked in a whisper to Zenith, who seemed to have calmed down to his usual smart aleck self.

"Just give him some time," he replied quietly, staring sympathetically at the young boy.

We were standing at one of the many paths leading up the mountains. They didn't seem like they fit the environment of forest and green fields. Rather, they should have been placed in the desert. The rocks crumbled like sandstone and were layered with different colors of browns and dull reds. Arches bore holes in the cliffs. No trees or shrubs grew from the dry cracks that webbed across the ground and up the sides of narrow chasms.

"Come on," Luido called, his energy carefully maintained to not come off as ignorant of whatever Zan was feeling at the moment. He waved his hand from his position further up the mountainside. The others were with him sitting on a small mesa where the glow of a fire illuminated and cast dark shadows from the jagged areas of rock.

"Do you miss him?" I asked, looking up at Zenith to see his reaction.

His jaw tightened slightly and his eyes narrowed a little, something else crossed over his face I couldn't quite catch in the dark. "To be honest, I don't know." He looked down at me and smiled slightly. Taking my hand he lead me up the stone path to the others.

I glanced back to find Zan walking slowly toward us, hands in his pockets and head down staring at he ground. I couldn't explain it, but somehow it hurt more to see Zan in complete silence than if he screamed or cried.


	38. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37 - Life & Death**

I woke with a start. Sitting up straight and looking around cautiously. The fire was smoldering and the sky was beginning to paint itself brighter colors in the west. My body ached from sleeping on the hard ground, but that was normal, though the soft dirt of the forest had held more cushion. The others stirred too, Zenith and Zan were nowhere to be seen. My heart instantly quickened beats as I stood, like the added height would help me. I gasped when I peered over the ledge we had made camp on. The forest and meadow that had been below us were gone. Now a vast amount of water replaced it, splashing at the base and spraying in the air the scent of salt.

"Holy Hell," I heard Bliss whistle. Behind us I heard the others shuffling. Cinna yawned and ordered food while Luido obligingly passed it out. "Lucky we got here when we did." Coming up beside me she peered around curiously and slapped me on the back. "Let's hope your mountain man is here." I turned to her and she smiled.

"Bliss…" She tilted her head at me inquiringly. "Why did you come with me?"

Folding her arms across her chest she looked away sheepishly. "Why wouldn't I? Besides, you and I are like sisters. I couldn't let you go alone." Then she turned to me and smiled. "I know we haven't always seen eye to eye. Especially lately, and I'm sorry. Old habits die hard."

I smiled at her and laughed. "Actually in a way it's kind of a relief. Part of me wanted to agree with you the whole time, but trusting Zenith and the others took over. So at least I know what I would have acted like."

Laughing too she slung her arm around my shoulder. "Well you've never been the most predictable of people. But you were right about these guys, though I am still a bit skeptical I'll try to keep an open mind."

"You aren't so predictable either," I stated. "What's with the change of heart?"

She smiled wider and shrugged. "Gotta' start sometime, eh?"

Smiling at her, I turned when I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Zenith walked up the inclined trail back to camp with a slightly bored expression. When he saw me he gave a faint smile and raised his hand to point his thumb behind him. "I think there's something you'll want to see," he called.

Bliss and I glanced at each other before moving toward him with a buzz of nervousness and excitement. Luido hopped up to join us while the Honey, Shawn, and Bliss followed close behind as Zenith lead us further up the winding maze carved into the mountain. From where we walked it looked like the blue of the sky was a river above us with the tall cliff faces on each side of us.

We traveled for only a few minutes before we entered a clearing. Thin streams snaked around the ground and disappeared at the edges of the rocks. A light layer of green moss grew at the water's edge and the sun filtered down through a honeycomb looking ceiling. At the middle of the wide area Zan stood like a emotionless statue staring off into the distance. I followed to where he was looking and gasped.

A large mouth of a cave looked like it would eat anyone that entered. Crystals sparkled like a rainbow inside of it, some lining along the top and the sides of the bottom like teeth. Further inside the walls were covered in them. Sticking out every which way so there was no stone to be seen but the shining hard surface of gemstones. They reflected the light of the sun and the tunnel seemed never-ending as it was swallowed up by the dark further down.

When we were standing next to Zan I finally couldn't help myself. "Are you alright?" I asked.

At first he didn't seem to hear me, but then he glanced at me and nodded faintly. "I'll be fine," he replied, but I could see the lie was evident in his eyes. Eyes that usually showed nothing gave away everything. I saw the pain he was carefully hiding, with anger and sadness mixing in.

"Zan…"

"Kirei!" Luido exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement, interrupting me.

"What is this place?" Honey asked quietly, the sound of wonder evident in her voice. Cinna giggled and ran forward.

"Wait for me," Luido called, running after her just as eager. Just as Luido swooped Cinna into his arms there was a shout.

"Halt!"

Luido skidded to a stop, falling onto his butt just in front of the cave. He looked around in confusion while the rest of us looked at each other peculiarly. When I looked at Zenith and Zan, they both seemed to be focused on something. Immediately the hairs on my arms stood up and my body stiffened. My heart sped up and my breath was caught in my lungs as I turned to where they were staring.

From the depths of the cave a silhouetted figure started to emerge. The sound of clicking footsteps against the crystal echoed off the walls and made it seem like the person was larger than they actually were. The shadow was tall and loomed at the caves entrance. "Demons are not permitted here." The person's voice was deep and resonated from the mouth of the grotto. It made me shiver from the smoothness of it. There was a refined sound that rang in it that was kind yet demanded respect.

"W-Who are you?" I spoke hesitantly, though I already knew exactly who it was. But I needed to see his face. The face that matched the voice that was in my head.

He stayed silent for a moment before taking a few steps closer. In front of him, Luido scrambled to his feet and hightailed it back to us, holding Cinna protectively as the man stepped from the cave onto the floor of the clearing. The sunlight danced from the holes above us and cast a light shadow over him, but I could see him as clear as the crystals behind him.

Jet black hair was slicked neatly back, the tips of it spiking slightly. He wore a tailed black suit and a white collared shirt that made him look regal and sophisticated to match his voice. White gloves covered long-fingered hands that hung limply at his sides. Around his neck was a silver chain with four palm-sized hourglasses. Each one was filled to the brim with a different colored sand. Black, white, gray, red. They made something stir in my head, but I couldn't grasp it. The whole picture of him standing there looked out of place here in the middle of nowhere surrounded by dirt and rocks. What took my breath, however, were his eyes. Pure white. No sign of a pupil or color of irises. Like mine.

Stopping a few yards from us at the edge of the shade so the sun wouldn't touch him, he lifted his hand and covered his heart before bowing. "Kessler," he said. "My name is Kessler."

* * *

"What are you?" Zenith asked, stepping forward defensively. Watching the newcomer with profound intensity.

"I am the Sower. Manifestation of the Light within the Four Reapers," he replied matter-of-factly, his tone serious.

"The Four Reapers?" Zenith seemed slightly shocked at the idea.

"Who are they?" Bliss asked curiously.

"They're the harbingers of death," Luido explained in a whisper, looking slightly unnerved at Kessler. "It's said they're were born from Darkness and when someone dies they reap their soul, mind, heart, and body. The four things that manifest life. Though I've never heard of a Sower before…"

"Indeed," Kessler stated, making Luido jump slightly in surprise that he'd overheard. "But fear not, I will not bring harm to any of you. It is against my purpose of creation to do so."

I shook my head and stepped forward quickly. "I…My name is Xeno," I announced. "Do you remember? You rescued me before from my demon captors."

Kessler stared at me, giving nothing away with his white eyes, and nodded slightly. "Yes, I know who you are. I also know why you are here." Taking a step back, he turned around and went to stand by the entrance of the cave. Holding a hand toward the opening he looked back at me. "Come with me and I will help you. However, your demon friends cannot enter. It is forbidden."

My heart jumped against my chest and I glanced at Zenith. His temple pulsed as his jaw clenched angrily. His hands were in fists and I gently touched his arm. He snapped his head toward me.

"It'll be okay," I whispered to him.

Hesitantly he nodded, leaning close so his mouth was next to my ear. "Be careful." Nodding back I let go of his arm and started walking toward Kessler.

"I'm coming too," Bliss announced, running up beside me. Smiling reassuringly, she gave me a thumbs up before whispering playfully. "Can't let you die alone."


	39. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38 - Reflect**

"Soooo," Bliss mused beside me. "Kessler, right? What is this place?"

I figured she was starting with simple questions. Her arm was linked with mine while I was slowly becoming a nervous wreck. So many questions I wanted to shoot out like bullets, but I wasn't sure if I should be completely blunt or start like Bliss just had. His quietness was getting to me in a strange way. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but it wasn't completely spiteful, it was just awkward. Nothing about him identified what he was thinking, really he seemed like a mix between boredom and fascination. I wasn't sure exactly how that worked, but it made me antsy.

"The Crystal Shrine," Kessler replied in a neutral voice. "Or Time's Manifest."

"Seems like two really different names," Bliss stated skeptically.

"They are. One is just a literal name for the simple observer. The other is its truth."

"Its truth?"

"Indeed. As you should already know, this world is where time is created and as a result is unstable. This place is where time flows as it should and…" He paused as we entered a large room in the cave. From above a single thread of sunlight filtered down, but it was enough that when it hit the crystal floor it spread and reflected to hit every other gem in the room, making it look like a sparkling ice palace. Taking my breath, however, were the images that played inside of the crystals. All of them were different and changed every few seconds. "Where time is filtered to other worlds."

I stepped closer to one stalagmite and peered into it. A woman with black hair laughed at the antics of a horse-like creature. Stepping over to a different spike, the image of a girl with black and white wings smiling while holding a baby in her arms. Behind her a man with white hair stepped up and enveloped them both. In a stalactite above it was an image of a little girl with glowing red eyes, her face was dirty and clothes torn while around her black fire consumed everything mercilessly. Her gaze looked as if she could see me and I stepped back in surprised only to bump into another pillar. Turning to see it there was a man with his back to me playing a white piano, black angelic wings sprouted from his shoulder blades.

"What is all this?" I finally managed to ask as I scanned other crystals. Women crying. A strange place with tall structures that shined in the sunlight while people moved about. Children laughing. I glanced at Kessler. "Who are you?"

He stood with his hands at his sides at the center of the room, posture completely straight. If this place really was a palace then his image finally did fit in like a butler or a high noble. He didn't glance at us, rather he stared straight ahead at the shining stone wall like he was seeing something we couldn't. "I am the keeper of this world and a protector of life itself. Life depends on time, so I must ensure that it does not get destroyed. The images you see are many of the worlds that time here filters to."

"A protector? Then why are demons sealed here?" I asked.

"It seems quite strange, does it not? However, time is life. In this world time is ruthless, if a demon has no future outside this place then he will be swallowed up and destroyed by the very thing that helps him exist."

"Exist?" I repeated slightly unnerved.

To my surprise, Kessler glanced at me and though his white eyes made the hairs on my neck raise I stared back long enough to see a faint smirk on his pale lips. "How else do you prove you exist? Perhaps, maybe we don't exist. If you can't prove you're alive, is it the same as being dead?" I kept staring at him, Kessler's words seeming to paralyze me before he shook his head and looked away.

"There is not much time left," he said. "Ask your questions now."

I stiffened slightly and glanced at Bliss, who watched us both with interest. Having her there gave me a little encouragement, though my anxiety was still there.

"Why did you save me?"

Taking on the stature of someone being interrogated, Kessler turned fully to face me but gave nothing away on his face. "As I have said before, I protect life."

"Was that really the only reason? Why didn't you save all the other suffering slaves then?"

A long pause came until he finally opened his mouth. His smooth voice held a fondness in it that wasn't there before. "There are different realms and worlds as you know that exist outside this one. I suspect you have come to believe what your demon friends have told you about being a reincarnation." He paused and watched me carefully and I nodded slightly. "Allow me to be the first to confirm it."

Taking a step back, he turned and brushed his gloved fingers across one of the stone pillars. The image shifted and rippled until a black cloud swirled inside. Then a girl appeared and I gasped, her hair was black blending a few dark blue stripes that matched her eyes with silver and black beneath them that looked like eyeliner, they were the only things different about the girl that looked like my reflection before she changed and was replaced by another clone of me with large black cat ears. Her mouth opened and it sounded like an angel singing. _"We are you, and you are we. But each of us, who exactly? In different worlds, merely someone we can never be."_ Lifting her hand she held between her fingers a single black feather and let it go while her voice whispered in an echo, _"Promises kept."_ Following the feather it hit the ground and in a burst of light I stood there gazing back at myself.

I gasped and stepped back, bumping into Bliss who looked just as stunned as I felt. I looked at Kessler who didn't seem at all surprised. Slowly he raised his hand and offered it to me. "In the Manifest you are protected, if you wish to know who you were, who you are, take my hand."

Shocked, I stared at his outstretched hand. "Protected?" I whispered, looking up at him. "From Julius?"

Kessler nodded. "It is my regret that the demon stole your memories, however I can give them back to you." Looking down at me knowingly, I thought I saw a flash of softness in his blank eyes. Whispering softly, he said, "The condition under which your memories have been placed will be void as long as you remain in the Manifest."

The condition. My body froze and my stomach tightened painfully while bile warned up my throat. However as I gazed at Kessler a quiet voice urged me that it would be alright. I swallowed hard against the dryness of my throat and lifted my hand above his and held it there for a moment. This was what I wanted, wasn't it? All my fears about my memories I wouldn't have to face. Surely they weren't bad thoughts once I got them back. After all, I would finally be able to recognize Zan. And Zenith, he would be happy, right? Smiling inwardly with anticipation, I dropped my hand into Kessler's.

Nothing happened. I looked up at Kessler and he seemed to be studying me interestedly. "You will feel dizzy at first. Give your mind time to adjust," he instructed. "And your body will feel very weak, which I'll not be able to cure since demons are not permitted here."

"Demons?" I repeated breathlessly, my heart thudding so hard it was hard to hear anything.

Kessler gave a faint smile. "After all, you are a half."

Then, in a flash of blinding light, the world suddenly turned black.

* * *

"Xeno?"

God, my head hurt. It felt like I had been hit by a bus and cut into pieces.

"Xeno, are you okay?"

What a racket. I needed rest. I was too tired to deal with anything and my headache was getting worse by the second.

"Xeno, wake up!"

My body shook and I gasped for air, opening my eyes to a world of black. I couldn't see anything, but I felt hands on my shoulders. I shook my head, which caused my mind to swirl.

"Oh thank heaven," the voice cried out in relief.

I blinked rapidly, but the black wouldn't fade. Then I finally realized there was something on my face. Reaching up weakly, I pulled the offending material off. At first everything was fuzzy and bright. I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the blue-y white colors around me. This definitely wasn't my room.

"Xeno," a girl with short black hair gasped leaning over me, her blue eyes examining me intently.

It took a moment before a voice of recognition registered her name. "…Bliss?" Behind her I saw a man dressed in a neat suit staring at me with white soulless eyes. Then my eyes widened and it felt like the world was crashing down on me.

* * *

_**Hey readers I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I just wanted you to know **__**if any of you are interested in seeing what characters look like I finally decided to make a DeviantArt account. There's not much but if you'd like to check it out go to my profile, the link is at the bottom. My pics of people are in anime form, so I'm sorry to those of you who don't like it XD**_


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